The fragile transatlantic alliance has fractured further as Downing Street convenes clandestine meetings to forge a united European front against Washington. The rift between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former US President Donald Trump has deepened, with Downing Street now acting as a secret broker to rally European leaders. Sources say the talks, held in a secure location in London, aim to counter Trump's protectionist trade policies and threats to withdraw security guarantees.
Meloni, once seen as a Trump ally, has grown frustrated with his erratic stance on NATO and tariffs. The meetings signal a historic shift as European powers seek to shore up their own defences and economic resilience. A senior British official called it "
a moment for European solidarity, not isolation." The move risks inflaming tensions with Trump, who has branded European leaders as "ungrateful."
But for kitchen-table Britain, the real concern is the cost: tariffs on Italian olive oil and Scotch whisky could push up prices, while threats to defence spending might hit jobs in manufacturing heartlands. Union leaders have urged caution, warning that a trade war would hurt working families first. As the talks continue, the message from Downing Street is clear: Europe must stand together, even if it means standing against an old ally.
