ROME — Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned visit to the United States on Friday after a public dispute between U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over comments related to their interaction at the Group of Seven summit in France. Italian officials said Tajani’s decision followed remarks by Trump that Meloni disputed.
The disagreement intensified after Trump said in an interview that Meloni had sought a photograph with him during the G7 summit and portrayed the request in terms that the Italian prime minister rejected. Meloni responded publicly, denying Trump’s account and criticizing the comments. Trump later repeated his position in a social media post, according to reports.
Tajani said on Friday that he was canceling his scheduled trip to Washington because of what he described as offensive remarks directed at Meloni and Italy. “The grave and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy,” Tajani said, according to reports of his statement.
The dispute followed the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, where Trump and Meloni had earlier appeared alongside other leaders. During the meeting, both leaders had emphasized their relationship, with Meloni saying the two countries had a strong partnership.
Meloni’s government has maintained close ties with Washington while also defending Italy’s positions on international issues. The latest disagreement comes amid broader differences between the United States and some European allies over foreign policy matters, though officials have not said the cancellation represents a change in formal diplomatic relations.
Italian officials said the cancellation was linked specifically to Trump’s comments about Meloni. Details of whether the visit will be rescheduled remain unclear. The Italian government did not announce a new date for Tajani’s trip.
The White House did not immediately provide a detailed public response to the cancellation, according to reports. Trump and Meloni have previously maintained a cooperative relationship, and the two governments continue to work together on bilateral and international issues.
As of Sunday, officials in Rome and Washington had not announced further diplomatic measures following Tajani’s decision. The public dispute remained focused on the exchange of comments between the two leaders and the canceled ministerial visit.
