Trump doubles down on claim that Meloni ‘begged' for photo op

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his controversial remarks about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that she “begged” him for a photograph.

Taking to his Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G7 meeting in France.”

The photo controversy began after Italian media broadcast an interview with Trump in which he said: “She [Meloni] 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.”

Responding to the remarks, Meloni said she was "astonished" by his comments, which were "completely made up". She accused him of acting with far greater deference to the enemies of the West than he does towards old, established allies.

Following her response, Trump questioned Meloni’s performance as Italy’s prime minister, claiming that she was struggling politically because she had distanced herself from the United States.

“She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy.”

“When it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (but so did Nato, for that matter!). She wouldn’t even let us use Italy’s landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience, and this despite the fact the US contributes hundreds of billions of dollars a year to protect Italy, and other 'so-called' Nato Allies,” he wrote.

Trump further claimed that Meloni was now seeking to repair relations with Washington.

“Now, after the United States 'defeated' Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up’,” he wrote.

“No thanks!” Trump concluded.