Meloni, Rubio meet to contain US–Italy rift

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday amid growing tensions between her government and the administration of Donald Trump, largely driven by disagreements over the war involving Iran.

Rubio’s two-day visit to Italy is aimed at easing strained relations with Pope Leo following unprecedented attacks on the pontiff by Trump, while also addressing Washington’s frustration over Italy’s refusal to support the U.S.-Israeli war effort against Iran, as per Reuters.

Meloni, once one of Trump’s strongest allies in Europe, had positioned herself as a bridge between Washington and other EU governments. However, that alignment has come under pressure as she seeks to balance ties with the United States against domestic opposition to the war and rising economic costs.

Before meeting Meloni, Rubio held talks with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who described the discussions as constructive.

“I am convinced that Europe needs America, Italy needs America, but the United States also needs Europe and Italy,” Tajani said.

Talks between Meloni and Rubio were expected to cover the situation in the Gulf, Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S. tariffs on European goods, and the outlook for Cuba, which Washington is attempting to isolate diplomatically and economically.

Tensions have also been fueled by Trump’s recent criticism of the pope, which Meloni called “unacceptable,” prompting a sharp response from the U.S. president, who accused her of lacking courage and threatened to withdraw American troops from Italy.

Meloni said she would not support such a move, but acknowledged that the decision “doesn’t depend on me”.

The rift has been compounded by Italy’s decision last month to deny U.S. aircraft access to the Sigonella air base in Sicily for operations linked to the Iran conflict, with Italian officials saying Washington had not sought prior authorisation.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto warned the war risked undermining U.S. global leadership and cautioned against the “madness” of nuclear escalation.

Analysts say Meloni’s relationship with Trump could become a political liability ahead of national elections next year.

By Tamilla Hasanova