Meloni to Trump: 'Worry About Your Own Popularity'; Italy-U.S. Row Escalates

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former U.S. President Donald Trump have reignited their public feud, trading sharp words over their recent interactions and political standing. Trump initiated the latest exchange on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming Meloni repeatedly asked for photos with him during the G7 summit in France. He insinuated that her alleged unpopularity in Italy stemmed from her refusal to grant the U.S. access to military bases for operations against Iran.

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As for my approval ratings, being friends with you certainly hasn't helped. My ratings depend, as always, on defending Italy's national interests.

Trump further criticized Meloni's stance on Iran, stating that Italy's refusal to allow base usage caused significant logistical inconvenience. He sarcastically suggested that Meloni was now seeking to mend relations with the U.S. to boost her approval ratings after the U.S. "militarily defeated" Iran, adding, "Thank you, but no thank you."

This latest volley follows an earlier incident where Trump reportedly told Italian media that Meloni was "desperate" to take pictures with him, leading to outrage in Italy and the cancellation of the Italian foreign minister's visit to the U.S. Meloni publicly refuted Trump's claims, calling them fabricated. However, Trump reiterated his version of events.

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Worry about your own popularity.

In response, Meloni posted a statement on Instagram directly addressing Trump. She asserted that his "constant and baseless attacks are meaningless" and that his comments about her approval ratings were irrelevant. "As for my approval ratings, being friends with you certainly hasn't helped. My ratings depend, as always, on defending Italy's national interests," she stated, emphasizing Italy's sovereignty regarding the use of military bases. She concluded by telling Trump to "worry about your own popularity."

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Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeatedly asked me for a photo... Her popularity in Italy is low, and she refused to cooperate with the United States in stopping Iran's nuclear weapons development and acquisition.