Donald Trump says he is “shocked” that Meloni no longer wants to help him. Gone are the days when the tycoon, fresh from his election victory, defined the Italian prime minister as “a fantastic person”, so much so that he invited her to the inauguration ceremony at the White House as the only European leader. The prime minister immediately took on the role of mediator between the United States and Europe. A recognition of his international role, but also a significant issue given Trump’s certainly not benevolent attitude towards the old continent.
The list of compliments showered upon the prime minister has become quite extensive over time. “AND a beautiful woman” Trump said smugly at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit on the war in Gaza. And again. “Giorgia Meloni is a great leader” he reiterated just a few weeks ago. “Italy always tries to help”.
Now Trump says he is shocked by Giorgia Meloni
Times have changed. Reached by Viviana Mazza, correspondent in New York for Corriere della Sera, today the president of the United States launched a lunge at his Italian friend (or ex-friend) for the first time. “I’m shocked by her. I thought she had courage, I was wrong.” Harsh words. Which weigh. Trump is pissed about NATO’s lack of help in Iran. The USA would also have liked a hand from Italy. But calls for action have fallen on deaf ears. Meloni “simply says that Italy doesn’t want to be involved,” Trump told Corriere. “She thinks America should do the work for her.”
Only a few hours ago the Italian Prime Minister had defined Trump’s words about Pope Leo as “unacceptable” (“weak on the crime front and terrible in foreign policy”). The head of the White House didn’t like it. “She is the one who is unacceptable – she vents – because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if she had the chance.”
Something broke
We’re not at odds, but something has cracked. After the defeat in the referendum, Meloni herself seems to have changed her attitude towards Trump, who is increasingly seen as an inconvenient ally. “When we don’t agree we say it and this time we don’t agree” he said in an interview given at the beginning of April to Tg1 regarding the US president’s criticism of European allies. On the Prevost case, the Italian prime minister was even clearer, going so far as to define the statements of the occupant of the White House as “unacceptable”. Who for his part now says he is “shocked” by Palazzo Chigi’s attitude towards Iran. The honeyed words are over. The axis between Rome and Washington has broken.
Schlein: “Solidarity with Meloni, something very serious has happened”
Reactions are pouring in. Meloni receives the solidarity of the Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein.”AND a very serious thing has happened – the dem leader explained while speaking in the Chamber – and I want to express the strongest condemnation, which I am sure will be unanimous in this chamber, for President Donald Trump’s attack on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for having dutifully expressed solidarity with Pope Leo XIV. I want to say that Italy is a free and sovereign country and that our Constitution is clear: Italy repudiates war”. 7
“No foreign head of state – says Schlein – can afford to attack or threaten or disrespect our country and our government. We are adversaries in this chamber but we are all Italian citizens and representatives of Italians and we will not accept attacks or threats to the government and our country. We really ask for unanimous condemnation on this”.
“I appreciated Elly Schlein’s words in Parliament much more than others from the opposition who did not grasp the gravity.” This was said by Giovanni Donzelli, deputy and organization manager of Fratelli d’Italia, to reporters in Transatlantico. However, the FdI representative prefers not to comment on the merits of what happened: “The Prime Minister spoke, Trump responded, I think that’s enough…”.
La Russa: “We will continue to be friends of the United States”
The speaker instead is the president of the Senate Ignazio La Russa. After what happened with Trump, “in our opinion there is no need to patch up, the president has his own assessment, we will continue to be friends of the United States of America on all the topics in which we find ourselves in full harmony with the United States of America. When we are not in harmony – La Russa further explained – we have the duty, even before the right, to say it. In this case the duty to distance ourselves from a frontal attack on the Supreme Pontiff. If he had not done so, Meloni would have come less to her duties not only as a Catholic, believer, observant, because Giorgia is profoundly so, but also to the duties of the President of the Italian Council”.
Tajani: “Meloni is courageous, she doesn’t give up saying what she thinks”
“We are used to saying what we think because this is what serious people do” wrote deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani on X. “Until today, President Trump considered Giorgia Meloni a courageous person. He wasn’t wrong because she is a woman who never gives up saying what she thinks.” Regarding Pope Leo
“We are and remain sincere supporters of the unity of the West and solid allies of the United States, but – warned Tajani – this unity is built with mutual loyalty, respect and frankness”.