A fresh diplomatic dispute has erupted between US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after Trump appeared to mock the Italian leader following the recent G7 summit, prompting a sharp public rebuttal from Rome and triggering wider political fallout.

Meloni on Friday strongly rejected remarks attributed to Trump in which he allegedly suggested that she was eager to secure a photo opportunity with him during the G7 gathering and that he only agreed because he “felt sorry” for her.

According to a transcript aired by Italian broadcaster La7, Trump claimed Meloni “wanted a picture with me so badly” and implied she should be grateful that he chose to speak with her at the summit.

The Italian prime minister dismissed the comments as fabricated and responded with one of her strongest public criticisms of the US president to date.

“Neither I nor Italy ever beg,” Meloni wrote on social media, describing Trump's remarks as entirely invented.

Posting a video, she also questioned Washington’s approach toward its allies, saying she could not understand why the US president appeared willing to target friendly nations while showing greater restraint toward adversaries.

“I don't know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” Meloni said, adding that she wished the same firmness was directed at “enemies of the West” rather than long-standing partners.

The exchange marks another deterioration in what was once seen as a strategically important relationship between the two conservative leaders.

While Meloni has frequently positioned herself as a key interlocutor between Europe and the Trump administration, tensions have surfaced repeatedly in recent months. Differences widened during the conflict in the Middle East and deepened further after Meloni publicly defended Pope Leo XIV against criticism from Trump earlier this year.

The latest controversy has now spilled into diplomatic relations.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that he would no longer travel to the United States for meetings scheduled for June 21 and 22, condemning Trump's remarks as offensive not only to Meloni but to Italy as a whole.

“The grave and offensive words of President Trump offend the whole of Italy,” Tajani said in a statement.

The backlash comes just days after Meloni had sought to portray the G7 summit as constructive, insisting there had been a positive atmosphere among leaders and no significant disagreements involving Trump.

The public confrontation presents a new challenge for Meloni, who has spent much of her tenure attempting to maintain strong ties with Washington while safeguarding Italy’s role within Europe and NATO.

Trump has previously accused Italy of not doing enough for the United States within the NATO alliance and has repeatedly criticised Rome's position on international security issues. He has also threatened to reconsider the American military presence in Italy, arguing that the country has failed to adequately support US strategic interests.

With AFP inputs