Trump doubles down on criticism of Italy’s Meloni: ‘She was a big fan’

News Trump doubles down on criticism of Italy’s Meloni: ‘She was a big fan’ Comments: by Sarah Davis - 06/19/26 2:34 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Davis - 06/19/26 2:34 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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President Trump reinforced his criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after the pair traded insults following their interaction at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France this past week.

“She was a big fan,” he told NBC News’s Gabe Gutierrez on Friday.

“But I don’t want her as a fan because she was not there — along with the NATO group — having to do with the strait,” he continued, in apparent reference to his demands for European allies to be more involved in the U.S.’s efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

The president told a journalist with Italy’s La7 TV station this week that Meloni “begged” him to take a photo with her during the summit.

“She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her,” Trump said in the brief interview, Reuters reported.

Meloni said she was “astounded” by the president’s comments and called this interaction “completely fabricated” in a video shared on social media.

“I do not know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his allies — it is certainly not the first time this has happened,” the prime minister said.

“I can only say it is regrettable that he does not show the same determination against the enemies of the West and the United States — against leaderships with whom he actually proves to be much more accommodating,” she continued.

The two leaders, who previously had a warm relationship, have split over the Trump administration’s military efforts against Iran. The president has lashed out at Meloni and other U.S. allies for criticizing his handling of this conflict.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced shortly before Meloni’s video that he was canceling his U.S. visit, which was scheduled for next week.

“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy,” he wrote on social media. “For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June.”

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