Italian deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani has cancelled a trip to the United States after Donald Trump allegedly made “serious and offensive” remarks about prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
The world leaders met at the G7 summit in the French Alps this week and appeared to be cordial.
However, according to a transcript by Italian channel La7, Mr Trump is reported to have said that Ms Meloni “wanted a picture with me so badly” and that he agreed only because he “felt sorry for her”.
Mr Trump is reported to have said that the Italian prime minister may be “happy that I talked to her, I didn’t have to talk to her”.
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Mr Tajani was due to visit the US for a high-profile trip scheduled for 21 June. In the aftermath of the row, he announced on Friday that he had cancelled the visit.
“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy,” he wrote in a post on X.
“For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June.”
Ms Meloni said that Mr Trump’s experience was “made up”, saying: “Neither I nor Italy ever beg”. She said she was left “stunned” by the comments.
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” the right-wing leader said in a video posted on X in response to the report.
“I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating.”
Former prime minister and Italian senator Matteo Renzi called the comments “horrifying”.
“Trump’s statements are horrifying, as always,” he wrote on X.
“Finally, President Meloni has noticed too: good morning Giorgia, nice of you to wake up.”
He added: “Enough with the MAGA hats and enough bridges to Trump: Italy deserves a leadership class that commands respect in the world. A leadership class that never begs. And the United States deserves a tenant in the White House who knows what courage is, what respect is. The global right has failed: today Meloni has realised it too.”
Transport minister Matteo Salvini shared a picture with Ms Meloni on X, saying: “Whoever attacks Giorgia Meloni attacks all of us.”
It is not the first time that the president has made unusual remarks about the prime minister. He has repeatedly called her “beautiful”, with a hot mic at a White House gathering in August last year picking up him telling her: “You look fantastic”.
“We have a woman – a young woman who is… I’m not allowed to say it because usually it’s the end of your political career if you say it,” he said at a peace summit in Egypt in October. “She's a beautiful young woman.”
He added: “Now, if you use the word ‘beautiful’ in the United States about a woman, that’s the end of your political career. But I’ll take my chances.”
Turning to Ms Meloni, he said: “You won’t be offended if I say you're beautiful, right? Because you are.” She appeared to smile awkwardly and did not respond to the comment.
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