Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has described as “completely made up” U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that she “begged” for a photograph with him at this week’s G7 summit.

“There is one thing he needs to remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg,” Ms Meloni said in a video on social media on Friday, responding to Mr Trump’s remarks.

Mr Trump said in an interview with Italy’s La7, “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her. She 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.”

However, Ms Meloni noted that she was surprised at Mr Trump’s comments and said she wondered why he “behaves this way towards allies”, adding that this was not the first time he did the same.

The prime minister also said it was “regrettable” that Mr Trump was willing to chide long-standing allies while being “far more” accommodating towards those considered enemies of the U.S. and the West.

Both leaders were seen conversing on a small sofa during the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, earlier this week. Ms Meloni later told reporters that their relationship remained unchanged and there had been “no recriminations.”

Ms Meloni and Mr Trump were previously allies, but their relationship became strained after the U.S. military actions in an Iranian school when it launched “Operation Epic Fury”. She condemned the attacks as a “massacre” and barred the U.S. military aircraft from using the Sigonella air base in Sicily.

Irked by Mr Trump’s remarks, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the cancellation of his planned visit to the U.S. next week.

“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend the whole of Italy,” Mr Tajani said on X.

Giovanbattista Fazzolari, undersecretary to the prime minister’s office, said it was unclear whether Mr Trump was intentionally or incompetently undermining relations between the United States and Europe.

“With his inappropriate outbursts, he has managed no easy feat to make the United States unpopular across the entire European continent, damaging not only Europe but above all the United States,” he added.