Italy’s PM Meloni fires back, tells Trump to worry about his own popularity

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday to look after his own popularity after he accused his NATO ally of trying to boost her domestic ratings by repairing ties with Washington.

Italy’s leader had accused Trump on Friday of being a liar for alleging that she had “begged” him for a photo with her during this week’s Group of Seven summit in France.

He repeated the assertion on Saturday, misspelling her name as “Gigiorgia” as he posted on his Truth Social platform that “she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.'”

Meloni responded, posting on Instagram in English: “President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”

“As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you,” she said. “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”

Meloni’s government, which took office in 2022, has seen its public approval rise in opinion surveys to about 35 per cent after a steady decline in 2025. Her Brothers of Italy party leads polls with about 28 per cent support, with the opposition Democratic Party at about 22 per cent.

The U.S. president, who was sworn in for a second term in January 2025, saw his approval rating tick up by one percentage point in recent days to 36 per cent — still near the lowest levels of his political career — as public dissatisfaction over the cost of living grew less intense, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

In his social media post, Trump repeated earlier criticism of the Italian government for not allowing the use of American military bases in Italy during the U.S.-Israel war on Iran that began on Feb. 28.

Meloni responded: “Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected and that cannot be violated. As long as I am prime minister, Italy remains a sovereign nation.”