The fracture between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former US President Donald Trump widened this week as Downing Street moved to consolidate European opposition to Trump’s renewed bid for the White House. Diplomatic sources in London and Rome confirmed that Meloni has signalled a decisive shift away from her earlier alignment with Trump, after a series of private exchanges with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The development marks a significant realignment of transatlantic relations. Meloni, who once courted Trump’s endorsement and shared his scepticism of multilateral institutions, has now publicly endorsed a joint European position on trade, defence, and climate. In a statement issued late on Tuesday, her office said Italy was committed to “a united European front” and would not allow “bilateral relationships to undermine collective security.”
Downing Street has been instrumental in this shift. Starmer, who has made the repair of UK-EU relations a cornerstone of his foreign policy, hosted a virtual summit of European leaders on Monday. The agenda was dominated by Trump’s resurgence and the need to insulate European capitals from his brand of transactional diplomacy. A senior British official said the Prime Minister had been “extraordinarily persistent” in persuading Meloni that her interests lay with Europe.
The break with Trump was visible in Meloni’s recent public remarks. Speaking at a conference in Milan, she warned against “the seduction of strongmen” and called for “rules-based order” in international affairs. The language was a direct repudiation of Trump’s own attacks on the global system. Her aides confirmed that she had not spoken to Trump in more than two months, a striking silence given their previous warmth.
Trump’s camp has reacted with barely concealed fury. A spokesperson described Meloni as “a fair-weather friend” and accused her of bowing to “elite pressure.” The former president’s allies in the European Parliament, including members of the Identity and Democracy group, have begun to distance themselves from her. One senior figure in the European Conservatives and Reformists group said Meloni’s move was “a betrayal of conservative principles.”
The implications for European unity are profound. Meloni’s government had been seen as the most likely to break ranks with Brussels if Trump returned to power. Her decision to align instead with Starmer and other mainstream European leaders removes a key vulnerability in the continent’s defensive posture. Analysts suggest that Downing Street’s brokerage has effectively neutralised the risk of a second Trump term fragmenting the European Union.
For Starmer, the diplomatic victory is a rare bright spot. His domestic agenda has stalled, and his approval ratings remain low. But foreign policy offers a stage where he can project competence. The Meloni shift is his most significant international achievement since taking office. It signals that Britain, even outside the EU, can still shape European outcomes.
Critics, however, warn that Meloni’s conversion may be tactical rather than sincere. Her party, Brothers of Italy, retains strong eurosceptic instincts. And Trump’s influence on the European right remains potent. Should Trump win the 2024 election, Meloni’s current stance could come under severe strain. For now, though, the immediate effect is a unified European voice on the eve of a potentially disruptive American election.
The White House has declined to comment on the rift. But President Joe Biden’s administration has privately welcomed the development. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan described the European cohesion as “a testament to the strength of democratic alliances.” The sentiment was echoed in Berlin and Paris, where officials said the Meloni-Trump break was “good for Europe.”
As the sun sets on a fractious week in transatlantic politics, one thing is clear: the era of easy cooperation across the Atlantic is over. Downing Street has drawn a line in the sand. The question now is whether other European leaders will step across it.
