A sharp war of words between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump continued Saturday, with Meloni firing back after Trump suggested she was trying to repair ties with Washington simply to boost her standing at home.
The feud began Friday when Meloni publicly called Trump a liar after he claimed she had “begged” him for a photo during this week’s Group of Seven summit held in France.
Trump kept the argument going Saturday, posting on his Truth Social platform — and misspelling her name as “Gigiorgia” — that “she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up’.”
Meloni responded directly on Instagram, writing in English: “President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”
She went further, adding: “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”
Meloni also pointed out that “being his friend has certainly not helped” her popularity. Her government, which took office in 2022, has actually seen public approval climb in recent polls to around 35% after a steady decline throughout 2025. Her Brothers of Italy party leads polling at roughly 28%, while the opposition Democratic Party sits at about 22%.
Trump, who was sworn in during January 2025, recently saw his own approval rating nudge up by one percentage point to 36%, still hovering near the lowest levels of his political career. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that growing public frustration over the cost of living had eased slightly.
Trump also renewed criticism of Italy for refusing to allow the use of American military bases on Italian soil during the war with Iran, which the U.S. and Israel launched at the end of February.
Meloni stood firm on the issue, stating: “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.”
