Meloni’s disagreement with Trump is a calculated political move, the analyst said
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni’s growing feud with President Donald Trump is nothing more than a calculated political strategy aimed at boosting his standing at home, a leading Italian political analyst told Fox News Digital on Sunday.
After the escalation of the conflict between Trump and Meloni on June 20, analysts also said that the Italian leader may see little harm in confronting Trump, especially as he faces declining approval ratings ahead of Italy’s 2027 general election.
The diplomatic row has reached a fever pitch after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on June 19 that he would cancel a trip to Washington, where he was supposed to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“Giorgia Meloni must have calculated that the public conflict with Trump has no tangible effect, except for the increase of his domestic and international status,” said Mattia Diletti, a professor of political science at the Sapienza University of Rome.
TRUMP SAYS MELONI ‘WANT TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN’ AFTER ITALY REFUSES TO HELP AMID IRAN WAR.
Giorgia Meloni said that President Trump’s statements were “completely fabricated” and that “neither I nor Italy has ever pleaded.” (Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP via Getty Images; Bastien Ohier / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images))
Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Rome’s Luiss University, also told the Financial Times that the row would provide a “good image” for Meloni and a “silver lining” in the conflict he is “trying hard to avoid.”
The rift between Trump and Meloni escalated after an interview aired by Italian television channel La7, in which the president said he had asked for a photo with him at the G7 summit and had accepted out of grief.
“He begged me to take a picture with him,” Trump said. “He wanted a picture with me badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for him.”
RUBIO MEET MELONI AS TRUMP–POPE CLASH INTENSIFIES US TROUBLE OVER KEY EUROPE
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni attends his annual press conference in Rome on Jan. 9, 2026, addressing government priorities and policy challenges for the coming year. (Photos by Antonio Masiello/Getty)
Meloni defended himself, releasing a video statement on X rejecting the president’s narrative.
“I’m obviously surprised,” Meloni said in a video message. “I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves in this way towards his allies. But there is one thing he must remember: Neither I nor Italy have ever persuaded him.”
Trump doubled down on Truth Social and tied the line directly to Meloni’s political fortune.
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni asked, repeatedly, for a photo with me during the G7 meeting in France,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“He is not working well in Italy with his level of popularity, maybe because he rejected the United States of America… when it comes to denying Iran to get or develop a nuclear weapon… He didn’t even allow us to use Italian landing strips or airstrips, a big inconvenience… No thanks!!!”
Within a few hours, Meloni responded on social media: “As for my popularity, being your friend certainly did not help you … My popularity depends on me being able to protect the national interest of Italy … In any case, my popularity is not your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”
TRUMP ‘RIGHT TO BE FURIOUS’ AT EUROPE’S ATTACK ON IRAN, SAYS THATCHER’S FORMER SHEPHERD
Rubio will travel to Italy on Wednesday where he will have meetings with Pope Leo and Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni. (Photos by Maria Grazia Picciarella/SOPA/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The back-and-forth marks a reversal for two leaders who once enjoyed political compatibility.
When Meloni took office, he positioned himself as a bridge between Washington and Brussels while pursuing a relationship with Trump based on shared nationalism and immigration stance.
“Politically, Trump has favored Meloni,” noted Diletti, pointing out that he once visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2025. He was the only European Union leader to attend his second inauguration.
The rift resurfaced in April when Trump criticized Meloni for siding with Pope Leo XIV in criticizing US tensions with Iran.
On Sunday, Trump criticized Italy once more Giorgia Meloni with their approach to Iran, accusing the NATO alliance of failing to help deal with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
“As the 2027 Italian general election approaches, Meloni is facing a drop in approval ratings for the first time,” Diletti explained.
“The opportunity to oppose a President who is so unpopular in Europe and Italy helps to strengthen his approval ratings and allows him to build European unity,” he said.
