President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, insisting that she asked "over and over" for a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit and criticising what he said was Italy's lack of cooperation during the Iran war. The remarks deepen the spat that began this week with the Republican president's interview with an Italian broadcaster, during which Trump claimed Meloni "begged" for the photo during the G7 meeting in France. Meloni has called that "completely fabricated." The dustup led Italy's foreign minister to cancel a planned trip to the United States as Meloni's government lined up in her defence.