Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has canceled his planned visit to the United States following remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Tajani described Trump’s comments as insulting and withdrew from a scheduled meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting was intended to strengthen cooperation on economic security and critical minerals. Meloni also rejected Trump’s claims, calling them completely fabricated and expressing surprise at his behavior toward allies.

The diplomatic tension arose after Trump told Italy’s La7 TV that Meloni had pleaded with him for a photo during the recent G7 summit in France. Meloni responded in a video message posted on social media, saying that neither she nor Italy ever begs anyone. She criticized Trump for showing leniency toward adversaries while being harsh on Western allies.

This dispute follows earlier public disagreements between the two right-wing leaders over international issues, including the Iran conflict, which had already strained their once-close relationship.