Italian PM tells Trump: ‘My popularity is not your business,’ urges him to focus on his own popularity

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has told US President Donald Trump to focus on his own popularity after he accused her of trying to improve her domestic approval ratings by rebuilding ties with Washington.

Meloni strongly rejected Trump’s remarks and called him a liar after he claimed she had “begged” him for a photograph during this week’s G7 summit in France.

Trump repeated the claim on Saturday, also misspelling her name as “Gigiorgia” on his Truth Social platform. He said she wanted to rebuild their friendship to “boost her ‘numbers’.”

In response, Meloni wrote on Instagram in English: “President Trump, these ongoing, unprovoked assaults are irrational.” She added, “My popularity is not your business. I recommend you concentrate on your own.”

She also said that being Trump’s friend “has certainly not helped” her approval ratings.

Recent opinion polls show Meloni’s approval rating at around 35%, after a drop earlier in 2025. Her party, Brothers of Italy, is leading with about 28%, while the opposition Democratic Party stands at around 22%.

Trump’s own approval rating has slightly increased to about 36%, but it still remains near the lower levels of his political career, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Tensions continued when Trump criticized Italy for not cooperating with US requests related to Iran’s nuclear issue. He also complained that Italy was not allowing the US to use its military landing strips, calling it “a significant logistical inconvenience.”

Trump wrote on Truth Social, “After spending Trillions of Dollars on NATO, Italy, and its Prime Minister, wouldn’t even consider becoming involved with the Islamic Republic of Iran and their very serious Nuclear Threat.”

He added, “For decades, we have defended them, but when it comes to a test, they are not there to defend us or the rest of the world. This is not acceptable.”

In reply, Meloni defended Italy’s position and said all agreements on military bases are respected. She stated, “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.”