The prime minister’s political allies are standing by her. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto backed her boss on X, writing that “Giorgia Meloni is a leader who has never been afraid to speak her mind, especially when principles, respect and identity are at stake.”
With this recent spat, Trump has turned on his last — and maybe staunchest — ally in Europe.
The U.S. president was calling Meloni “a marvelous woman” and “a great leader” only a year ago, as the Italian leader was tipped by many to be the EU’s unofficial Trump-whisperer. She was the only European leader at his inauguration in January 2025 and acted as “a bridge” between Europe and the U.S. during talks on tariffs, according to Vice President JD Vance.
This week’s rift puts a very public dent in her relationship with the U.S. — but it could prove beneficial domestically.
Following a defeat in a high-stakes referendum that her allies have blamed on her closeness to Trump, Meloni has increasingly distanced herself from the American leader, leading up to her — delayed — condemnation of Trump’s attack on the pope on Monday.
First, her government refused permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily and then the prime minister used a speech to the Italian parliament to list all the instances in which her government disagreed with the White House. Tensions rose on Monday after Meloni spoke out in defense of Pope Leo XIV.