"Giorgia Meloni begged me to take a picture with her. I felt sorry for her." This was US President Donald Trump's comment on his face-to-face meeting with the Prime Minister at the G7 summit in Evian. "I spoke to her, but I wasn't obligated to," Trump added.

Trump's comments about the prime minister sparked immediate political backlash, starting with Meloni herself: "Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly shocked. Italy and I never beg," the prime minister said in a video shared on social media.

The Prime Minister also received a phone call from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella , who wanted to express his "solidarity" with Meloni.

Political reactions were also immediate. " Trump's rants about Giorgia Meloni are just the latest episode of attacks and insults aimed at European leaders. It's unclear whether he is intentionally or through incompetence ruining the historic relationship between the United States and Europe . With his inappropriate comments, he has succeeded in the difficult task of making the United States unpopular throughout Europe, damaging not only Europe but, above all, the United States," commented Giovanbattista Fazzolari, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister's Office.

"President Trump's serious and offensive words toward Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason , I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for June 21 and 22," announced Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , expressing solidarity with the prime minister.

"Italy doesn't deserve to find itself so blatantly humiliated ," said Five Star Movement president Giuseppe Conte . He added: "I say this as an Italian citizen first and foremost, rather than as a politician. It's completely unacceptable that one of our allies would dare speak in this way about our institutional leaders. I only hope that a reflection will be opened to learn from what happened."

"Trump is a serial liar and a comical bully . Personally, I don't believe Giorgia Meloni begged for anything at all. In any case, these insults must be rejected as they undermine the nation's honor," commented Azione secretary Carlo Calenda .

And Nicola Fratoianni (Avs): "I don't know whether I should be more worried about a now unrestrained Trump, and the problem is that he's President of the United States, or about Meloni's zero credibility internationally , and the problem is that she's Prime Minister of our country. Frankly, one would want to express solidarity with Giorgia Meloni. If it weren't for the fact that all this is the result of her choices and subservience to Trump."

(Unioneonline/lf)

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