Six months ago, Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, stood on a stage in Sharm el-Sheikh surrounded by men, as world leaders gathered to discuss a Gaza peace deal. In front of her, Donald Trump lavished praise and insults on the assembled leaders before singling out Meloni as a “beautiful young woman.” Turning to her, he added, “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are. Thank you very much for coming.”
Meloni appeared uncomfortable but accepted the compliment. She had worked hard to position herself as a reliable European ally for Trump, making a quick trip to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and being the only European leader to attend his presidential inauguration.
That relationship, built on shared nationalist rhetoric, is now fraying as rapidly as it formed. In an interview this week, Trump turned on her, telling the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that she “lacked courage” for not joining the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
The rebuke came after Meloni described Trump’s attack on Pope Leo—who has become a vocal critic of the Iran war—as “unacceptable.”
“She is the one who is unacceptable,” Trump retorted, “because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.”
The remarks capped a difficult month for Meloni, whose government suffered a painful setback in a March referendum on a judicial overhaul and whose close ties with Trump have grown increasingly politically risky in a country with a deep-rooted anti-war culture.
Meloni needed a way to rebuild her image and regain support—and analysts say Trump’s feud with Pope Leo offered the perfect opportunity.
“When you consider the moment in Sharm el-Sheikh, she wasn’t pleased to receive that compliment—she understood how belittling it was—but she accepted it,” said Cecilia Sottilotta, an associate politics professor at the University for Foreigners in Perugia. “However, there comes a time when never standing up to your partner becomes a problem. So the Pope Leo dispute was welcome news for Meloni, because in Italy, people love their popes, and they hate wars… Meloni desperately needed an excuse to distance herself from Trump, and this was a good one.”
Meloni had begun to distance herself from Trump after the strikes on Iran were launched in late February, though cautiously. In parliament, she strongly criticized the conflict while also warning that “we cannot afford a regime of ayatollahs in possession of nuclear weapons” that could threaten Italy and Europe.
After the referendum defeat, she took a firmer stance by denying the use of a Sicilian airbase for U.S. military planes transporting weapons for the Iran war.
Still, her delicate balancing act was evident even in her defense of Pope Leo. Meloni called Trump’s verbal attack on the pontiff—whom he described as “weak” and catering to the “radical left”—”unacceptable.” But she did so only after facing pressure from the opposition, having initially omitted any reference to Trump’s remarks in a social media post that praised Leo for his role in “fostering the return of peace” as he departed for a trip to Africa.
“Her instinct right up until the very end was to walk the tightrope,” said Sottilotta. “But this is a big crisis, and at this point, you cannot afford not to take sides.”
The ousting of her far-right ally Viktor Orbán in Hungary’s elections on Sunday is also thought to have influenced her calculations.Meloni’s response to Trump became especially clear after US Vice-President JD Vance visited Budapest in an effort to boost Orbán’s prospects.
“Vance going to Orbán was like delivering the kiss of death,” said Sottilotta. “So when she saw that, she really understood.”
Now, with her focus shifting toward the 2027 general elections—which, before the referendum, were expected to strongly favor her ruling coalition—Meloni has begun a careful pivot.
In another sign of distancing herself from the conflict, Italy this week suspended a defense pact with Israel, a previously staunch ally. Meloni also reaffirmed her government’s support for Ukraine during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome on Wednesday, pledging to help strengthen the country’s defenses against Russian attacks. On Friday, she will join French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer—both frequent targets of Trump’s criticism—for talks in Paris on securing the Strait of Hormuz.
Although Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party has lost some support in recent weeks, it still leads in the polls, as does Meloni’s personal popularity, even if her leadership has lost some of its shine. Unless the fragmented opposition can produce a credible alternative to Meloni, polling numbers are likely to remain unchanged. Her government is now expected to prioritize passing an electoral law that could secure it a comfortable victory in the next elections.
“I believe the coalition remains favored, in the sense that it has a clear leader,” said Lorenzo Pregliasco, co-founder of the political analysis firm YouTrend. “The opposition still needs to define the alternative.”
Meloni’s government has enjoyed a stable run since taking power in October 2022, largely because it has remained united rather than achieving meaningful improvements in Italians’ lives.
“She’s dealt with the Trump issue, which in the short term was a tactful move,” said Mattia Diletti, a politics professor at Rome’s Sapienza University. “But unless she makes some spectacular changes on the domestic front, she will decline. Italians don’t care too much about international politics, but they do care about the war in Iran and the wider Middle East, because it’s affecting their lives and the cost of living. The sooner it stops, the better for Meloni.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the changing relationship between Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump designed to answer questions from basic to more detailed
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who are Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump
Giorgia Meloni is the Prime Minister of Italy leading a conservative government Donald Trump is the former President of the United States and the current Republican candidate for the 2024 election
2 Why were Meloni and Trump considered politically aligned
They shared a similar populist nationalist and antiimmigration political brand When Meloni was elected in 2022 Trump and his allies saw her as part of a growing patriotic movement in Europe that aligned with his America First vision
3 What was the first major sign their relationship was souring
The public turning point was Trumps criticism of Meloni in September 2023 He posted on social media that she had betrayed the conservative movement specifically pointing to her strong support for Ukraine against Russias invasion
4 What is the core disagreement between them
Ukraine Meloni is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and NATO committing significant Italian aid Trump has been skeptical of US aid to Ukraine and has often praised Russian President Vladimir Putin
Advanced Detailed Questions
5 Beyond Ukraine what other policy differences caused friction
China Melonis government has taken a tougher stance even temporarily leaving Chinas Belt and Road Initiative while Trumps approach was more transactional
EU Leadership Meloni while critical of certain EU policies works within the Brussels framework Trump and his allies are openly hostile to the EU and would prefer its weakening
Style Alliances Meloni has carefully cultivated a strong working relationship with President Joe Biden and mainstream EU leaders which Trumps camp views as aligning with the globalist establishment he opposes
6 Did Meloni ever publicly criticize Trump
