Italy reacted angrily on Friday after reported comments by US President Donald Trump mocking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with the foreign minister cancelling a planned US visit.
Meloni said she was "frankly stunned" by Trump's comments to Italian channel La7.
According to a written transcript of the phone interview provided to AFP by the network, he said Meloni "begged me for a picture" at the G7 summit this week and he agreed only because he "felt sorry for her".
He also suggested that Meloni was probably "happy that I talked to her, I didn't have to talk to her".
Meloni called what Trump said "made up", adding: "Neither I nor Italy ever beg."
