Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has hit back at President Donald Trump after he claimed she has become unpopular in her country for refusing to allow the U.S. military to use Italian airspace during the Epic Operation against Iran, and for ruining the relationship with the White House.
In a statement addressed to Trump on Saturday, June 20, Meloni called his repeated comments “senseless” and “unprovoked.”
She said her popularity at home comes from defending Italian interests, not from any ties to the U.S. president.
“President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless,” Meloni wrote. “As for my popularity, being your friend certainly has not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you.”
She added: “My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done.”
Giorgia Meloni Defends Sovereignty Over Use of U.S. Military Bases
On the dispute over American bases in Italy, Meloni stood firm after Trump had accused her of blocking U.S. access to landing strips and runways during operations against Iran, calling it a major inconvenience.
Meloni replied that base use is governed by long-standing bilateral agreements that her government respects and will not violate.
“Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister,” she said. “Italy remains a sovereign nation. In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”
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The exchange began after Trump spoke with Italy’s La7 television channel and said that Meloni “begged” him for a picture at the G7 meeting in Evian-les-Bains, and that he agreed only because he felt sorry for her.
Trump later doubled down on Truth Social, repeating the photo claim and linking it to what he called Meloni’s shifting stance after U.S. actions against Iran.
According to Trump, Meloni was desperate for that photo moment with him because she wanted to reignite her allegedly diminishing popularity in Italy.
Meloni Rejects Claims About G7 Photo Opportunity
Meloni rejected the story outright in an earlier video response and said: “Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished.”
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves like this toward his allies.” She added that neither she nor Italy begs.
Meloni, a right-wing populist, attended Trump’s inauguration and has often aligned with him on issues such as migration and skepticism toward certain EU policies.
But recent events, especially Italy’s handling of U.S. base requests tied to the Iran conflict earlier this year, have exposed differences.
Italy hosts several U.S. military bases, but their use for specific operations is defined by formal agreements between the two countries.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Escalates Response to Trump Remarks
Italian officials have emphasized that any activity must stay within those legal bounds, a point Meloni reinforced in her latest comments.
The feud escalated after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he was canceling a planned trip to the United States next week. The move was a direct message of displeasure over Trump’s comments on the G7 photo.
“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy,” Tajani wrote.
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Video from the G7 showed Meloni and Trump seated together in conversation, but the footage did not support claims of repeated begging for a photo. Meloni’s team has pointed to this as evidence that Trump’s version does not match what happened.
Media reports indicate Meloni’s approval ratings in Italy have held steady in the mid-to-high 30s to low 40s range, similar to numbers often cited for Trump in recent U.S. polling.
Meloni challenged Trump to focus on his popularity rather than dwell much on hers.
