Rome’s Rebel Queen: How Meloni Outsmarts Trump and Europe in a World on Edge

Italy’s Maverick Leader: Giorgia Meloni’s Bold Dance Between Trump and Europe

In the grand halls of Rome’s Palazzo Chigi, where centuries of history whisper through the marble corridors, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sits poised, a figure of steely resolve amid a world in flux. On March 28, 2025, in an exclusive interview with the Financial Times—the first with a foreign outlet since her 2022 rise to power—she dismissed the notion that Italy must pick sides between the United States and Europe as “childish” and “superficial.” With Donald Trump back in the White House and transatlantic tensions simmering, Meloni’s words carry weight, signaling a pragmatic yet daring vision for Italy’s role on the global stage.

Meloni, a firebrand conservative who once rallied against the European Union’s bureaucratic elite, now navigates a delicate tightrope. She’s a nationalist with deep ties to the U.S. Republican Party—evidenced by her lone presence among European leaders at Trump’s January 2025 inauguration—yet she refuses to let Italy be dragged into a binary showdown. “I’m conservative. Trump is a Republican leader. Surely I’m nearer to him than to many others,” she told the FT, her tone both candid and calculated. “But I understand a leader that defends his national interests. I defend mine.”

This isn’t just rhetoric. Meloni’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment. Europe faces a Trump administration pushing 25% tariffs on car imports (announced mere hours after her interview), a downgrading of NATO security commitments, and an economic offensive against allies. Italy, with its €2.8 trillion economy and a debt-to-GDP ratio hovering at 135%, stands vulnerable yet resilient under Meloni’s stewardship. She’s brought rare stability—her government is now the fifth longest-serving in Italy’s postwar history—and markets have taken note, with Italian bond yields holding steady despite global turbulence.

A Transatlantic Balancing Act

Meloni’s approach to Trump is less about ideological kinship and more about realpolitik. She sees the U.S. as Italy’s “first ally,” a relationship she deems “the most important” for Rome. Yet, she’s acutely aware of Europe’s alarm. Trump’s criticism of European trade practices and defense spending—echoing long-standing U.S. gripes—has sparked outrage in capitals like Paris and Berlin. Meloni, however, shrugs off the hysteria. “Do you really think protectionism in the US was invented by Donald Trump?” she quipped, pointing to Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act as evidence of a broader trend.

Her strategy? Build bridges, not burn them. 

“If there is something that Italy can do to avoid [a US] confrontation with Europe, I will do that,” she said. 

It’s a stance rooted in necessity—Italy exports €50 billion annually to the U.S., including €6 billion in vehicles and machinery, sectors now in Trump’s tariff crosshairs. A trade war could shave 0.5% off Italy’s GDP, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). Meloni’s plea for calm—“Keep calm, guys. Let’s think”—is a call to negotiate, not retaliate, as the EU mulls its response.

On defense, she sees Trump’s “confrontational” style as a wake-up call. Europe’s collective defense spending reached €240 billion in 2024, yet Italy lags at 1.5% of GDP, below NATO’s 2% target. Meloni pledges to meet her commitments, but she’s wary of Brussels’ €150 billion military loan plan, which could balloon Italy’s debt. “It’s a bit concerning,” she admitted, advocating for broader fiscal rule relaxation to prioritize cybersecurity and southern border threats alongside traditional military needs.

From Fringe to Powerhouse

Meloni’s journey to this moment is a tale of transformation. Born in 1977 in Rome’s working-class Garbatella district, she entered politics at 15 with the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement’s youth wing. By 2012, she’d co-founded the Brothers of Italy, a party blending nationalism with Euroskepticism. Her 2022 victory—securing 26% of the vote—made her Italy’s first female prime minister, a historic milestone met with both applause and unease given her party’s roots.

In opposition, Meloni was a force of nature, railing against “woke” politics and illegal migration with a ferocity that captivated supporters. Yet in power, she’s softened her edges. She’s forged a working bond with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and her 2024 budget—projecting a deficit of 3.3%—has reassured investors. Her plan to divert migrants to Albanian detention centers floundered in court, but her support for Ukraine post-2022 invasion has distanced her from far-right peers cozying up to Putin.

This evolution hasn’t dulled her edge. She sympathizes with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s critique of Europe’s “ruling class” losing touch with its people. “I’ve been saying this for years,” she said. “Europe has a bit lost itself.” It’s a sentiment that resonates with her base, 68% of whom, per a 2025 Ipsos poll, approve of her leadership.

Ukraine, Tariffs, and the Southern Flank

On Ukraine, Meloni treads carefully. While France and the UK push a “reassurance force,” she warns it could provoke Moscow. Instead, she floats extending NATO’s Article 5 to Ukraine without full membership—a novel, if perplexing, idea dismissed by some as unworkable given U.S. reluctance. Her focus is on “strong guarantees” to prevent future Russian aggression, a stance reflecting Italy’s €10 billion trade with Ukraine and its strategic Mediterranean position.

Tariffs, meanwhile, are a pressing headache. The EU’s average tariff rate is 5.1%, close to the U.S.’s 4.2%, but specific duties—like 10% on cars—fuel friction. Meloni urges targeted talks over tit-for-tat escalation, frustrated by the EU’s sluggish decision-making. “It’s not easy to compete with somebody that in one day can sign 100 executive orders,” she said, nodding to Trump’s rapid-fire governance.

Closer to home, Italy’s southern flank looms large. With 120,000 migrants arriving in 2024 (down from 160,000 in 2023, thanks to Meloni’s policies), she sees Africa’s instability as Europe’s Achilles’ heel. Her Mattei Plan aims to turn Italy into an energy hub, importing 25% more gas from Algeria and Libya by 2026. “Threats come from 360 degrees,” she warned, pushing NATO to prioritize the Mediterranean alongside its eastern focus.

Economic Challenges and Ambition

Italy’s economy, growing at a modest 0.7% in 2024 (ISTAT), faces headwinds. The NextGenerationEU fund has delivered €114 billion, but only €64 billion is spent, hampering productivity gains. Meloni’s courting foreign investment—FDI rose 15% to €31 billion in 2024—but critics argue she’s not bold enough. Her retort? “I’m here to leave it better than I found it.”

That ambition defines her. Whether sparring with Trump or steering Europe, Meloni casts herself as a pragmatic patriot—not a protagonist, but a problem-solver. As the world order shifts, Italy’s maverick leader is betting she can hold the line, balancing old allies and new realities with a grit forged in Rome’s streets.