The G7 summit in France earlier this week turned into a heated political debate after US President Donald Trump launched a series of fiery statements towards Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, accusing her of trying to exploit his image to bolster her fragile domestic political situation.

Trump: Meloni is looking for popularity

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday reiterated his stick to his controversial remarks about Meloni, noting that she had "repeatedly" asked him to take a photo with her when the pair met at the G7 summit in France earlier this week.

In a short post on Truth Social, Trump said: "Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has repeatedly asked me to take a photo with her at the G7 summit in France, her popularity in Italy is weak, perhaps because she rejected the offer of the United States of America, a country that really loves and protects Italy, when it comes to preventing Iran from acquiring or developing a nuclear weapon (NATO has done the same!)," Trump said in a short post on Truth Social.

"They didn't even allow us to use the Italian runways, and that was a huge logistical burden, even though the United States contributes hundreds of billions of dollars a year to protect Italy and other so-called NATO allies," Trump said. Now, after Iran's military defeat at the hands of the United States, it wants to return as a friend in order to "increase its popularity." No, thanks!!."

Trump said in a television interview two days ago that the Italian prime minister "strongly begged him" to take a commemorative photo with him on the sidelines of the recent G7 summit hosted in the French city of Evian, and said he initially declined her request and only agreed out of "pity and courtesy," even though official video footage of the summit showed the two leaders talking at length and comfortably on a shared couch.

Meloni responds: My popularity has nothing to do with Trump

The Italian prime minister reacted sharply to Trump's recent remarks, writing on her Instagram account: "These continuous and provocative attacks are meaningless."

Meloni added: "As for my popularity, being a friend of yours certainly did not contribute to raising it, and it does not depend on my relationship with you."

Meloni responded to Trump's first remarks on her official Instagram account, accompanied by a strongly worded phrase in which she wrote, "Italy and I do not beg," stressing that some situations call for an immediate and decisive response to protect her country's dignity.

A series of crisis situations

The roots of the crisis between the two parties extend back several months, as the dispute went beyond the boundaries of security and Iranian files to reach ideological and philosophical files.

Tensions escalated after Meloni publicly defended Pope Leo XIV, who clashed with the Trump administration over his anti-war rhetoric and policies aimed at tightening immigration laws.

These positions have entrenched a clear gap in visions between Washington and Rome, making the recent statements merely a link in a series of tugs that reflect the depth of the disagreement in political agendas and regional alliances.