By Angelo Amante and Crispian Balmer
ROME, June 19 (Reuters) - When Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as U.S. president in 2025, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was the only European leader invited to attend, promising the start of a golden age in relations between Washington and Rome.
A year and a half later, their personal relations appear to be in tatters, leaving Meloni exposed on the foreign stage with her international strategy seriously compromised, analysts said.
Tensions between the two right-wingers surfaced at the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which damaged Europe's economy and re-awakened strong anti-war sentiment within Italy.
Video from this week's G7 summit in France suggested that the two might have resolved their differences. But that hope was shattered on Friday, when the U.S. president told an Italian TV channel that Meloni had "begged" him to take a photo with her.
Meloni shot back, saying Trump had fabricated the story. Going further, she accused him of showing far greater deference to the enemies of the West than he did towards old friends.
"There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg," she said.
FLATTERY AND FRIENDSHIP BACKFIRES
Meloni's robust response on social media was welcomed by most parties across the political system, who saw Trump's comments as an insult to Italy.
However, analysts said the country would now expect Meloni to adopt a more consistent approach with Washington and give up on her previous efforts at a rapprochement with a mercurial president, who has upended traditional diplomatic etiquette.
"Meloni cannot keep changing her approach depending on Trump's unpleasant remarks. She must decide whether to adopt a less accommodating stance or, like other countries such as Canada, a firmer approach," said Piero Ignazi, a political analyst at the University of Bologna.
Opposition leaders were quick to highlight how the unprecedented falling out had revealed the failure of Meloni's original strategy of flattery and friendship.
"Have you finally understood that allying with those people means going against Italy? Enough with MAGA caps and enough with building bridges with Trump," said former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who heads a centrist opposition group.
IRAN WAR PUSHED MELONI INTO A CORNER
Trump's 2024 election triumph appeared to open the way for Meloni to forge a special relationship with a political ally who shared a similar ideological vision, and thereby serve as a bridge between Washington and a largely sceptical Europe.
Trump initially showered her with praise, calling her at various times in 2024 and 2025 "a fantastic leader and person", "a beautiful young woman", "a very successful politician" and "an inspiration to all."
When Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on the European Union, Meloni distinguished herself by maintaining a soft tone towards the president, saying it was more important to keep the Western front united against common adversaries.
She also avoided any public criticism of him, even as other European leaders fretted at his failure to embrace Ukraine in its war with Russia and at his reluctance to put pressure on Israel to end the Gaza conflict.
ORIGINAL SIN
However, the war in Iran put Meloni in a corner and the situation deteriorated sharply in April when Trump lashed out at Pope Leo over his criticism of the conflict. Meloni jumped to Leo's defence, prompting Trump to accuse her of lacking courage.
She also denied the use of an airbase in Sicily to U.S. military planes carrying weapons for the war in Iran, saying the Americans had not followed the necessary procedures.
"This was the original sin, in Trump's eyes," said Francesco Galietti, of political risk consultancy Policy Sonar.
In the short term, Galietti said Meloni might benefit domestically from standing up to Trump, who is highly unpopular in Italian opinion polls. But she risks losing a plank of her political narrative ahead of elections due next year, he said.
"This is like a horrible slap in the face," he said. "It completely jeopardizes her strategy that when we hold elections, the Italians will eventually choose her because she is the safest pair of hands."
(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Crispian Balmer; Additional reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Toby Chopra)
