Meloni Tells Trump to 'Focus on Your Own Popularity' as G7 Row Escalates
Primary region Europe
Tags Diplomacy
Regions Europe · US
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly rebuked former US President Trump after he questioned her domestic popularity and claimed she 'begged' for a photo with him at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. Meloni responded that 'neither I nor Italy ever beg,' escalating a diplomatic spat between two leaders who had previously maintained a close relationship. The exchange highlights tensions within the transatlantic right-wing political alliance.
Strategic interpretation
Meloni's public pushback signals that even ideologically aligned European leaders have limits to their tolerance for personal humiliation by Trump, which could fracture the informal US-Europe right-wing coalition. The spat may weaken Meloni's position with both European centrists and Trump-aligned conservatives, complicating Italy's diplomatic positioning.