What was once seen as one of the closest relationships between a European leader and U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a dramatic turn, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly calling out the American president over remarks she says were simply made up.
When Trump was inaugurated for his second term in 2025, Meloni stood out as the only European leader invited to attend the ceremony — a sign, many believed, of a special bond between Washington and Rome. A year and a half later, that relationship appears to have collapsed, leaving Meloni in a difficult position on the world stage, according to political analysts.
The friction between the two right-leaning leaders began building with the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, a conflict that hurt Europe’s economy and stirred strong anti-war feelings among the Italian public.
Footage from this week’s G7 summit in France seemed to suggest the pair had patched things up. But any hope of reconciliation was dashed on Friday when Trump told an Italian television channel that Meloni had “begged” him to take a photograph with her.
Meloni responded sharply, saying Trump had invented the story. She went even further, accusing him of showing more respect toward the West’s adversaries than toward its longtime allies.
“There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg,” she said.
Her forceful response on social media drew praise from across Italy’s political spectrum, with most parties viewing Trump’s comments as a direct insult to the country. However, analysts cautioned that Meloni would now face pressure to take a firmer and more consistent stance toward Washington, rather than continuing to seek goodwill from an unpredictable president who has repeatedly broken with traditional diplomatic norms.
“Meloni cannot keep changing her approach depending on Trump’s unpleasant remarks. She must decide whether to adopt a less accommodating stance or, like other countries such as Canada, a firmer approach,” said Piero Ignazi, a political analyst at the University of Bologna.
Opposition figures wasted no time pointing out that the extraordinary public dispute exposed the failure of Meloni’s original plan to win Trump over through flattery and friendship.
“Have you finally understood that allying with those people means going against Italy? Enough with MAGA caps and enough with building bridges with Trump,” said former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who leads a centrist opposition group.
Trump’s 2024 election victory had initially seemed to open the door for Meloni to cultivate a unique relationship with a political ally who shared her ideological outlook, positioning herself as a go-between for Washington and a largely skeptical Europe. Trump had heaped praise on her at various points in 2024 and 2025, describing her at different times as “a fantastic leader and person,” “a beautiful young woman,” “a very successful politician,” and “an inspiration to all.”
When Trump rolled out sweeping tariffs against the European Union, Meloni stood apart from other European leaders by keeping her tone measured, arguing that preserving Western unity against shared threats was more important. She also refrained from publicly criticizing Trump even as fellow European leaders voiced frustration over his handling of the Ukraine-Russia war and his reluctance to press Israel on the Gaza conflict.
But the Iran war backed Meloni into a corner. Things deteriorated sharply in April when Trump lashed out at Pope Leo for criticizing the conflict. Meloni came to the pope’s defense, which prompted Trump to accuse her of lacking courage. She also refused U.S. military planes carrying weapons for the Iran war access to an airbase in Sicily, saying the Americans had not followed the required procedures.
“This was the original sin, in Trump’s eyes,” said Francesco Galietti of political risk consultancy Policy Sonar.
In the near term, Galietti noted that standing up to Trump — who polls very poorly in Italy — could give Meloni a boost at home. But he warned that the falling out threatens a key part of her political identity heading into elections scheduled for next year.
“This is like a horrible slap in the face,” Galietti said. “It completely jeopardizes her strategy that when we hold elections, the Italians will eventually choose her because she is the safest pair of hands.”
