Meloni Fires Back at Trump Over Popularity Jibe and Italy’s Sovereignty

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday after he renewed claims that she sought to repair relations with Washington to improve her domestic political standing.

The dispute began after Meloni accused Trump of lying about an alleged interaction during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France. Trump had claimed that the Italian leader “begged” him for a photograph. On Saturday, he repeated the accusation on his Truth Social platform, referring to her as “Gigiorgia” and suggesting she wanted to become friends again to boost her approval ratings.

Meloni responded publicly on Instagram, rejecting Trump’s remarks and calling the repeated attacks “senseless.” Writing in English, she stated that her popularity was “none of your concern” and urged the U.S. president to focus on his own approval ratings instead.

The exchange comes as both leaders face close scrutiny over their political standing. Meloni’s administration, which entered office in 2022, has recently experienced a rebound in public support after a decline throughout much of 2025. Opinion surveys place her approval rating at around 35%, while her Brothers of Italy party remains the country’s leading political force with roughly 28% support. Italy’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party, trails at approximately 22%.

Meanwhile, Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025, has seen only a modest improvement in his approval numbers. Recent polling indicates his rating has risen to 36%, though it remains near the lowest levels of his political career despite easing concerns over inflation and living costs.

Meloni also pushed back against Trump’s criticism of Italy’s restrictions on the use of U.S. military bases during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. She emphasized that the use of military facilities is governed by long-standing agreements that Italy fully respects.

Reaffirming Italy’s independence, Meloni declared that her country remains a sovereign nation and insisted that existing agreements cannot be violated while she serves as prime minister.