[Anchor]
U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once considered close friends, have clashed head-on in a battle of truth over a photo. While it may appear to be a simple war of words, there is a complex situation unfolding behind the scenes.
Reporter So Hwan-wook analyzes the story for Video Mug.
[Reporter]
The person who claimed the other begged for a photo.
The person who retorted that it was nonsense.
Both are the top leaders of their respective nations and key figures at the G7 summit.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who were once considered the closest of friends, have collided head-on.
A fierce battle over a single photo—have the two crossed a bridge that is difficult to mend?
The incident began with an interview given by President Trump.
In an interview with Italian media, he claimed that Prime Minister Meloni had begged to take a photo with him, and that he had taken it out of pity despite not wanting to.
Following President Trump's remarks, which erupted right after the G7 summit, Italian Prime Minister Meloni hit back directly.
[Giorgia Meloni / Prime Minister of Italy: Donald Trump's statements are completely groundless. Honestly, I am shocked. I cannot understand why the U.S. President would behave this way toward his allies.]
While it may seem like a simple argument, in summit diplomacy, photos and movements are symbols that reveal the temperature of relations between nations.
Moreover, the two were famous for being best friends.
Prime Minister Meloni was even called Trump's European warehouse, but immediately after this incident, the Italian Foreign Minister canceled a scheduled visit to the U.S., and diplomatic relations between the two countries have frozen rapidly.
So, when and why did their relationship sour like this?
Shall we look at the background?
The direct trigger was in March, when Italy denied permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at the Sigonella base in Sicily in connection with U.S. military operations against Iran.
It was not just a simple administrative procedure, but a demonstration of Italy's will not to intervene in U.S. wars.
On top of this, when President Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV for criticizing the war, Prime Minister Meloni defended the Pope, leading President Trump to fire back with harsh remarks.
The gap between the two had been widening like this.
Public opinion within Italy regarding this incident does not seem unfavorable for Meloni.
This is because it highlights the image of a strong leader who does not yield to Trump's pressure and protects national pride.
With the Italian political sphere uniting across party lines following Trump's remarks, some analyze that this is a political opportunity for Prime Minister Meloni to recover her approval ratings.
Furthermore, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on the European Union and energy prices soaring due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the U.S.-Iran conflict, there is a growing sentiment that being on good terms with the U.S. no longer brings benefits to Italy.
The reality where yesterday's best friend has become today's adversary—it is no exaggeration to say that this battle, which exploded over a single photo, illustrates a diplomatic reality where the value of alliances is being diluted.
Will this incident end as a mere childish war?
Or will it become the spark for another diplomatic conflict?
(Written by So Hwan-wook and Kim Chae-hyun | Edited by Chae Ji-won | Designed by Jo Seung-hyun | Produced by SBS Knowledge Contents IP Team)
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