The relationship between the two allies, the United States and Italy, has been severely shaken after U.S. President Donald Trump gave an interview to Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper, attacking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as "lacking courage" and causing disappointment to the U.S. government, marking a direct rebuke of one of its closest European allies.
The main trigger was Meloni distancing herself from Trump after the U.S. launched a war against Iran in February, and her sharp criticism of Trump’s harsh language attacking Pope Leo XIV, which she called "unacceptable."
Trump responded by saying, "I am very shocked by her. I thought she was courageous, but I was wrong," while condemning Italy for refusing to send forces to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blockaded. He noted that Italy pays the highest energy prices in the world but refuses to fight to protect energy routes, instead waiting for him to step in and help.
The White House and the Italian Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the report. However, Italian politicians from various parties defended Meloni, including Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who said, "Western unity must be built on loyalty, respect, and sincerity," supporting the Italian leader’s stance in defending the Pope.
Trump’s criticism unfortunately compounds Meloni’s challenges, as she has faced multiple crises over the past month, including losing a referendum on judicial reform and the defeat of key ally Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in elections.
Furthermore, the Persian Gulf war between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran has severely impacted Italy’s economy through soaring energy prices. Meloni has sought to distance Italy from the conflict, recently denying U.S. warplanes use of Sicily’s airbases for operations in Iran and just last Tuesday suspended a military cooperation agreement with Israel.
This episode marks a sudden shift in Trump’s attitude, as Meloni was the only European leader to attend his inauguration ceremony in 2025 and had just last month been praised by Trump as a "great leader."
. (Source) Reuters