Donald Trump just unloaded on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of his closest European allies, calling her “unacceptable” and claiming she lacks the courage to stand up to Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera. Trump said he was “shocked” by Meloni’s stance, accusing her of not caring that Iran could “blow up Italy in two minutes” if it developed nuclear weapons. The attack marks a sharp turn in their relationship, which had been built on mutual admiration and strategic alignment until now.
“She doesn’t help us with NATO,” Trump said, calling the alliance a “paper tiger” and criticizing Europe for not being “willing to fight for the Hormuz Strait,” a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. He also took a swipe at Italy’s immigration policies, claiming they’re “killing Italy and all of Europe.” The comments came just a day after Meloni publicly condemned Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV, who has repeatedly called for an end to the war in the Middle East.
The Italian prime minister, who has been in power since October 2022, was once Trump’s go-to ally in Europe. She positioned herself as a mediator between the U.S. and Europe, often defending Trump’s policies while trying to soften their impact on European interests. But that balancing act has become increasingly difficult as the U.S.-led war in Iran escalates. Last weekend, during a visit to the Gulf region, Meloni made her disagreement with Trump clear. “When we don’t agree, we must say it. And this time, we do not agree,” she said, referring to the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran.
Meloni’s refusal to back Trump’s hardline stance on Iran appears to be the breaking point
The fallout from Trump’s remarks was swift. Meloni’s allies and political opponents alike rushed to her defense. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, posting on X, called her a “woman who never shies away from saying what she thinks” and reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to “Western unity and steadfast allies of the United States,” though he emphasized that this unity must be built on “mutual loyalty, respect, and honesty.” Elly Schlein, leader of the center-left Democratic Party, condemned Trump’s “serious lack of respect” and pointed to Italy’s constitution, which “repudiates war.”
The rift between Trump and Meloni is personal as well. At Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, Meloni was the only European leader on the guest list. A month earlier, she had been photographed in a cozy conversation with Trump at the Élysée Palace during a celebration for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Trump had even called her “a real live wire” during her visit to the White House last April, the first European leader to make the trip after Trump announced sweeping global trade tariffs. Meloni, in turn, had praised Trump as a “brilliant man” and vowed to “make the West great again” alongside him. That partnership now feels like a distant memory.
But Meloni’s shift is centered around politics. Polls show that a majority of Italians oppose the war in Iran, particularly as energy prices soar. Support for Trump in Italy has plummeted from 35% to just 19%, and Meloni faces critical elections next year. Last month, voters overwhelmingly rejected a judicial reform referendum proposed by her government, with 61% of 18- to 34-year-olds voting against it.
Analysts say the result was less about the reform itself and more about expressing frustration with Meloni’s unwavering support for Trump’s foreign policy. Ettore Greco, vice president of the Rome-based think tank Istituto Affari Internazionali, put it bluntly: “Many young people voted against it because of the situation in the Middle East, her lack of clear criticism towards Trump’s world vision that relies on force rather than the rule of law.”
The war in Iran is also hitting Italy’s economy hard. The country is the EU’s second-largest natural gas consumer after Germany, relying on the fuel for about 40% of its energy needs. With Iran blocking traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, about a fifth of the world’s energy exports are stuck in the Gulf, sending prices skyrocketing.
The Italian government recently slashed funding for an investment support program, drawing backlash from businesses. The Bank of Italy cut its growth forecast for this year and next to just 0.5%, and the country’s deficit has breached the EU’s 3% limit, limiting Meloni’s fiscal flexibility ahead of next year’s elections.
Despite the growing tensions, Meloni isn’t cutting ties with Trump entirely. She’s still trying to walk a fine line, condemning his aggressive foreign policy while avoiding outright confrontation. In mid-March, she refused to send military vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, aligning with other European countries, but she hasn’t condemned the U.S.-led conflict either.
Roberto D’Alimonte, a political science professor at Luiss University in Rome, described her approach as cautious and pragmatic. “She is not going to put all eggs in one basket,” he said. “She will still straddle the line and move more towards European allies—step by step until she can distance herself without breaking relations.”
Published: Apr 15, 2026 11:15 am