From the very beginning, the second term of Donald Trump’s presidency promised to be a turning point for all established models and orders in the world. In less than a month in power, the Republican has already managed to withdraw the United States from WHO and the Paris Climate Agreement, impose unprecedented duties on goods from Canada and Mexico, scare half the world with talk of buying Greenland, and suspend all huge financial assistance provided by the United States to support the conflict in Ukraine.
However, all this is just the beginning, because with the arrival of Trump, not only America will change, but also the whole of Europe. The political landscape of Europe has changed significantly since the last Trump presidency.
Growing discontent with uncontrolled migration in European countries, thoughtless support for Ukraine and anti–Russian sanctions, which have cost everyone dearly – from the poor Balkan countries to the economic “locomotives” of the EU – France and Germany. The latter suffered especially badly. The difficult economic situation in these key European states has led to great political instability and polarization of opinion – in France, the next government risks being dissolved due to its inability to adopt a social budget with a deficit of 6%, which is twice the acceptable figures for the eurozone, and in Germany, elections will be held soon, which are likely to put an end to the career of Chancellor O. Scholz will be swept away by the disintegrated “traffic light” coalition.
In general, Europe has improved significantly in recent years. In a number of states, right–wing politicians have come to power who share Trump’s approach to a radical solution to long-overdue problems such as migration, economic decline and government inefficiency. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long been considered a loyal ally of Trump in Europe. His Slovak counterpart, R. Fico, was among those prudent politicians who set a course for cooperation with Trump even before he took office. Giorgia Meloni, who has been Prime Minister of Italy since 2022, did not stand aside either.
Perhaps no one has seriously talked about Italy in global politics for a long time. Although the EU unites 27 states, it is obvious to everyone that decisions are made in Paris and Berlin. Rome remains in a peripheral position. After all, the music is commanded by those who pay. And the EU budget is filled primarily by Germany and France. And although Italy is the third on this list, its share in the European economy is not comparable to the Franco-German tandem. Britain was once an important voice in European affairs along with Italy, but after Brexit, London made it clear that Washington was a priority for the Perfidious Albion, leaving Europe in the hands of French and German politicians. Though the age of the Europe of great charismatic politicians has long been a thing of the past. There is no Jacques Chirac or Francois Mitterrand in France today, there are no more Schroders and Merkels in Germany, and there is no more Silvio Berlusconi in Italy. And yet, the wind is changing, and Italy may begin to play an increasingly important role in European affairs thanks to the skillful choice of allies by Giorgia Meloni.
As Donald Trump’s return to the White House reshapes global politics, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s potential role in transatlantic affairs has become a topic of debate. In her initial years in office, this once staunch eurosceptic and former admirer of Vladimir Putin softened her rhetoric, making gestures of alignment with Brussels and the Biden administration.
Meloni’s connections with Trump, however, go back to his first presidency, when she was frequently seen with his ex-advisor Steve Bannon. Over time, she has strengthened ties within the Trumpian political sphere and has become a recognized figure in his orbit. Having met Trump twice before attending his inauguration, she now enjoys his public praise. Moreover, she has cultivated a close rapport with tech mogul Elon Musk, whom she considers a “brilliant mind” unfairly vilified by progressive elites due to his conservative leanings.
Given these dynamics, Meloni faces a pivotal choice: leverage her influence in Washington and Mar-a-Lago to advocate for European interests and assume greater leadership on the continent, particularly as France and Germany navigate internal struggles; or prioritize Rome’s direct relationship with Washington, positioning Italy as a stronghold of an emerging nationalist alliance in Western Europe—one in which her ideological alignment with Trump and Musk suggests she would play a significant role.
Meloni has consistently emphasized her primary commitment to Italian national interests, often contrasting her stance with what she portrays as past Italian leaders’ excessive deference to European institutions, especially France. While she occasionally speaks of the need for a stronger European defense strategy, her vision remains deeply nationalist, aligning with Musk’s concerns about the erosion of Western values, declining birth rates, and the impact of immigration.
She and her American allies also share a particular perspective on democracy—one that favors direct mandates and minimizes institutional checks and balances. Her government actively confronts state media, which it perceives as left-leaning, and clashes with judicial institutions that obstruct its strict migration policies. Musk himself has waded into Italian political discourse, using his social media platform X to criticize judges who overturned rulings on migrant detentions in Albania, suggesting they should “resign.”
Nationalist, skeptical of liberal institutions, and focused on internal security amid growing protests—especially those related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—Meloni’s Italy, shaped by her Fratelli d’Italia party’s post-fascist origins, is well-positioned to align with Trump’s vision for a redefined Western order.
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