Who should care more about ratings?

Italy’s leader wasn’t happy about being called out by the U. S. president this weekend. Giorgia Meloni shot back after Donald Trump accused her of chasing a photo for a quick boost in polls. She fired back that Trump should worry about his own numbers instead. Trump doubled down on Saturday, even misspelling her name while repeating the claim that she was just trying to look good back home. Meloni wasn’t having it—she posted on Instagram in English: “These attacks aren’t needed. ” She made it clear his comments don’t affect her popularity.Her approval has actually been climbing lately. After a rough patch in 2025, around 35% of Italians now back her work. Her party still leads in polls too, sitting at 28%. Meanwhile, Trump’s ratings have barely budged, holding at 36%—still one of his lowest points since taking office. Meloni made another point about trust. Being linked to Trump, she said, hasn’t helped her image at all. She also shut down his criticism over U. S. military bases in Italy, saying those rules can’t just be ignored. Behind the drama, there’s a bigger question: Who really controls how leaders look in the eyes of their people?