Meloni tells Trump to ‘focus on your own popularity’ as row escalates

After President Donald Trump suggested that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is doing poorly in Italy due to her “level of popularity”, the Italian leader hit back on Instagram, calling Trump’s “constant, unprovoked attacks” “senseless”. “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours,” she wrote, a statement that added new pressure to an already tense US‑Italy relationship following the U.S. military action against Iran.

Trump’s comments also included a claim that the Italian prime minister “begged” him for a photo during a G7 summit meeting in France, a story that Meloni has denied. She said she was “frankly stunned” by the claim and noted that neither she nor Italy ever beg for a photo. Trump later explained the incident in an interview with La7, a TV channel in Italy, but the Italian leader’s supporters across the political spectrum welcomed her response.

The clash over the photo anecdote is only part of a broader rift that has emerged during this year, as Trump’s criticisms of Italy’s stance on Iran and its use of Italian air bases have prompted the Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned trip to the U.S. early next week. The leaders’ relationship, which had been close enough for Meloni to attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, may see further strain as the diplomatic spat continues to unfold.