From Closeness to Distance: Trump Criticizes Italian Prime Minister Meloni

The Italian Prime Minister Meloni, once seen as a "bridge" between Europe and U.S. President Trump, now appears to be an unstable one.

After denouncing Pope Leo XIV, Trump turned his attention to Meloni. This leader, long regarded as one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe, previously called Trump’s attack on the Pope “unacceptable” and did not support U.S.-Israel military action against Iran.

Speaking in an interview with Italy’s leading newspaper, La Stampa, Trump said: “I thought she had courage, but I was wrong.”

Meloni has not directly responded to Trump’s criticism. However, analysts believe this may actually work in her favor. Following a disastrous referendum last month, she is attempting to rebuild her political standing while also seeking to ease strong domestic discontent over the war with Iran and rising energy prices.

Nathalie Tocci, professor at the European campus of Johns Hopkins University and director of the Institute for International Affairs in Italy, stated: “In fact, I think this is a golden opportunity for her. Trump has become ‘toxic’ throughout Europe and even in many parts of the world—including in Italy.”

On Wednesday, Trump further criticized her, claiming their relationship had deteriorated. Speaking on Fox News, he said: “She’s been consistently negative. Anyone who refuses to help us on the Iran issue—we won’t maintain the same relationship.”

The relationship between these two leaders has clearly shifted from closeness to distance. As the only EU leader invited to attend Trump’s second inauguration, Meloni was expected to leverage their close ties after his return to the White House. The two were believed to share natural political affinities in nationalist tendencies and tough immigration policies.

Yet Italy was not spared from Trump’s tariff policies, and some argue Meloni has gained little tangible benefit from this relationship. When asked whether he had spoken with Meloni this month, Trump replied: “No, not for a long time.”

During a somewhat awkward White House meeting a year ago, Meloni did not directly confront Trump over tariffs. With the outbreak of war with Iran, their differences widened further. Meloni explicitly stated that Italy would not participate in the war and recently refused to allow U.S. bombers to land at a key airbase in Sicily.

This week, she called Trump’s attack on the Pope “unacceptable”—the most direct criticism of Trump so far.

However, Italian Cabinet Minister Adolfo Urso stated that the U.S.-Italy relationship would not be shaken by this controversy. He said: “Italy and the United States are allies, and our relationship is built within international institutions—above all, the transatlantic alliance.” He added that the Church’s moral stance “would not undermine alliances established decades ago.”

Mariangela Zappia, president of the Institute for International Politics in Italy and former ambassador to the U.S., believes Trump’s “emotional” reaction stems more from his broader frustration with Europe rather than targeting Italy specifically. Besides failing to gain support for the war against Iran, he also lost a key ally when Viktor Orbán’s camp suffered defeat in Hungary’s elections. Still, she emphasized that Trump’s personal remarks about Meloni should not be interpreted as undermining the overall alliance. She said: “Europe will certainly continue to view the U.S. as a historic ally, but it also hopes to participate in decision-making processes.” She added that Trump is beginning to realize “the EU is not so easily divided.” “We are diverse and react differently. Some clearly oppose Trump, others support him—but destroying the European project or splitting us on issues concerning the future is extremely difficult.”

After her referendum defeat, Meloni is striving to stabilize domestic support. This vote was effectively a confidence check on her leadership. She had made a whirlwind two-day visit to the Gulf states to secure gas and oil supplies amid escalating energy crisis, but ultimately failed to reach a formal agreement.

On Tuesday, she announced that Italy would not automatically renew its defense agreement with Israel. This follows a warning shot fired near a contingent of Italian forces participating in a UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. Analysts believe this move is driven more by domestic political considerations than a strategic shift.

Experts point out that these measures have limited substantive impact but carry symbolic value in responding to domestic public opinion, as support for Israel has significantly declined among Italians.

Roberto D’Alimonte, professor at the School of Government at Luiss University in Italy, expects Meloni to face a tough situation over the final 18 months before the 2027 general election, primarily due to economic repercussions from the war in Iran. He said: “People want to see their gas bills go down—not just hear Meloni talk about energy issues. The key is what shows up on your monthly bill.”

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862642957197323/

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