Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni's rift laid bare at NATO
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump are experiencing a public diplomatic rift, with the two leaders avoiding each other at a recent NATO summit. Analysts suggest Meloni may be intentionally distancing herself from Trump to improve her standing ahead of upcoming domestic elections.
Why it matters
The shift in the relationship between these two right-wing leaders illustrates how domestic political pressures can override international ideological alliances.
Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni meet in April 2025. ( Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein )
Link copied Share Share article Falling out with Donald Trump is not a situation most world leaders want to find themselves in, but for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a very public and, at times, petty spat with the US president could end up playing well for her.
Meloni was considered one of the US Commander-in-Chief's closest allies in Europe, and some had even dubbed her the "Trump whisperer".
But now the pair does not talk, Meloni has been the subject of Trump's tirades and social media memes, and at this week's NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara, the leaders avoided each other.
Far from being concerned about the deterioration of an important diplomatic relationship, a popular view in Italy is that Meloni thinks this could help her domestically.
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