Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Saturday, 20 June publicly rallied behind Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, declaring that any assault on the premier is an assault on the entire Italian government and nation. His remarks came as a sharp diplomatic rift deepened between Washington and Rome following inflammatory comments by US President Donald Trump about Meloni at the G7 Summit in Evian.

Salvini Closes Ranks Behind Meloni

Speaking at the Lega-Mercato Gazebo in Milan, Salvini — who also serves as Minister of Infrastructure — was unequivocal in his solidarity. 'I can only repeat that whoever attacks the Prime Minister attacks the entire government and all of Italy,' he said. He was careful, however, to add that the episode should not be allowed to rupture ties between the two allied nations: 'This obviously does not compromise relations between two friendly countries, between two friendly peoples.'

What Trump Said That Sparked the Crisis

The confrontation traces back to remarks Trump made in an exclusive phone interview with the Italian television programme 'L'Aria che tira' on La7, hosted by David Parenzo. Trump claimed that Meloni had 'begged' him for a photograph at the Evian G7 Summit and alleged she had been 'absent from the Strait of Hormuz.' He reportedly told the programme: 'She wanted a photo with me so badly. I might not have done it, but I felt sorry for her.' When asked about his conversation with Meloni on the sidelines of the summit, Trump added: 'She's probably happy I spoke to her. I wasn't obliged to speak to her.'

Trump also used the interview to deliver a broader broadside at European policy, stating: 'Europeans got everything wrong on energy and everything wrong on immigration. And if they don't solve these problems, Europe will never be the same.'

Meloni Fires Back, Calls Claims 'Invented'

Meloni responded swiftly on social media, dismissing Trump's account of the G7 photograph as 'totally invented' and saying she was 'astonished' by the American president's attitude towards allied governments. The rebuttal was direct and unambiguous — a rare public pushback from a European leader who has historically maintained warm ties with Trump.

Italy's Diplomatic Response Escalates

The fallout extended well beyond an exchange of words. Head of State Sergio Mattarella reportedly telephoned Meloni in a show of solidarity. More concretely, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the cancellation of his scheduled visit to the United States on 21 and 22 June. In a post on X, Tajani wrote: 'The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June.' Tajani had previously described Trump's remarks as 'serious and offensive to all of Italy.'

Broader Context: A Transatlantic Relationship Under Strain

Notably, Meloni had been regarded as one of Europe's closest ideological allies to Trump, making the public rupture all the more striking. The episode underscores a pattern of Trump's transactional approach to alliances — even with leaders who share his political orientation. This comes amid broader tensions between the US and Europe over energy policy, immigration, and defence burden-sharing, suggesting the Meloni spat is symptomatic of a wider transatlantic stress fracture rather than an isolated incident.