US President Donald Trump’s attacks on Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have inadvertently fostered greater unity among European leaders. After Trump questioned Italy’s reliability as a wartime ally and claimed Meloni had groveled for his attention, leaders across Europe rallied to her side, thawing previously frosty relations due to her hard-right political roots. This episode exemplifies how Trump’s divisive approach is helping to draw Europe closer together.
European Leaders Close Ranks
European leaders are finding more reasons to coordinate on defense, tariffs, and foreign policy as they confront wars in Ukraine and Iran, a ballooning trade deficit with China, and threats from Russia. This leaves Trump, who often prefers bilateral negotiations, with less leverage, analysts say. “Most of the mainstream leaders realize that Europe is getting squeezed between China and America, and so, if not now, then when?” said Sudha David-Wilp, vice president at the German Marshall Fund. “They need to act as a bloc in order to maintain Europe’s place in the world.” This newfound unity will be tested at an upcoming NATO summit in Turkiye.
Meloni Strengthens Ties with European Leaders
Meloni’s spat with Trump has helped her strengthen ties with European leaders once wary of her party’s post-fascist roots. A pivotal moment came in March when she refused to allow US bombers headed to the Middle East to use a base in Sicily without parliamentary approval. Previously, France and Germany often excluded Meloni from small-group talks shaping Europe’s response to major foreign policy crises. That persisted into 2026 over disagreements on the Russian war in Ukraine, including her rejection of a proposal by Britain and France to send European troops there after a possible ceasefire. However, Trump’s escalating attacks on Meloni—who called his criticism of Pope Leo “unacceptable”—shifted the dynamic, prompting leaders to rally around her. Meloni was included in a late June meeting in Berlin with the leaders of Germany, France, Britain, and Poland, and met the next day with French President Emmanuel Macron in southern France—the first bilateral summit since the pandemic.
Nationalist Parties Recalibrate Stances
Nationalist parties across Europe once aligned with Trump are adjusting their positions as his trade policies and war with Iran prove unpopular with voters. In France, far-right leader Jordan Bardella recently blasted US actions as “foreign interference” and described Trump as “erratic” and “extremely unsteady.” Bardella had previously welcomed Trump’s nationalism as a “wind of freedom.” In Germany, leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany party have criticized the US military campaign against Iran. Co-leader Tino Chrupalla said in March he was “extremely disappointed” with Trump, whom he had viewed as a politician who would avoid new conflicts. This rhetoric shift comes as elections approach, focusing on domestic issues. “This pushes everyone to consider a European horizon more than an international one,” said Lorenzo Castellani, political analyst at Rome’s LUISS University.
Beyond Europe’s Biggest Powers
These dynamics extend beyond the EU, from the Arctic Ocean to the Balkans. When Trump threatened to take Greenland by force, protests erupted in Nuuk and Copenhagen. Leaders across the political spectrum bristled at the infringement of European sovereignty and feared it could shatter the already stressed NATO alliance. In Albania, a luxury development linked to Trump’s family business has become a major political issue, drawing protests in June. The political risks of close alignment with Trump were illustrated in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—long regarded as Trump’s closest EU ally—was voted out of office in April despite support from the US president. An analysis by Maplecroft suggested negative perceptions of the Trump administration may have weighed on Orbán politically.
Meloni’s Balancing Act
Though Meloni remains closely aligned with Trump on issues like immigration and security, she has long diverged on Ukraine. Her steadfast support for Kyiv made her more palatable for European leaders and has been key in forging a united European front toward the US. During their public spat last month, Meloni said her friendship with Trump came with a heavy political cost. In response to his accusation that she had “begged” to be photographed with him at the G7 summit in France, she wrote on social media: “As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you.” A Pew Research Center survey found that 83 percent of Italians have no confidence in Trump’s ability to handle foreign affairs. His handling of Iran, tariffs, and US immigration policies received low support. With a national election due by 2027—possibly as early as next spring—Meloni faces mounting pressures, including fallout from the unpopular Iran war and her former ties to Trump. Voters across Europe could hold their own politicians accountable for the actions of an American president beyond their control, said Castellani: “At a certain point, when voters see the price of gasoline rising because of a war perceived as distant, they ask Meloni for the bill, not Trump.”
