Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently became President Donald Trump to announce a new tariff regime on trading partners, which includes a 20% tax on imports from the EU, including a 20% tax rate.

Although these tariffs are currently on hold, the continued threats set for Meloni's visit in mid-April 2025.

Since becoming Italy's prime minister in 2022, Meloni has walked a tightrope between EU solidarity and embracing the far-right, and is often considered by critics as calculations.

In many ways, Meloni reflects Europe’s own identity crisis: regional power with global ambitions. After all, Italy was the founding pillar of the EU, signing the European Common Market in Rome in 1957. However, Italy has often stood outside the core of EU influence for decades, while the Franci-German partnership has been obscured.

Nevertheless, when that moment is right, Italy knows how to play its leverage, especially as a bridge between the conflict camps in Brussels.

In Washington, Meloni made a recommendation to Trump: a dismissive ideological coalition of “wake up” politics, diversity, fairness and inclusion agendas and loose immigrants. She offers a sweetener - more Italian investment in the United States as the SOP for the transatlantic trade dispute. But she also reiterated her support for Ukraine and the EU, in stark contrast to Trump’s skepticism to continue U.S. support in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

In this way, Meloni plays himself as someone who can serve Brussels and Washington without burning the bridge on either side. gamble? This balancing behavior can backfire. Trump’s demands on trade and increased defense spending in NATO countries forced Meloni to choose between appeasement of Washington or complying with EU norms. Her proposal was to alienate the key European allies who were vigilant against his destructive politics.

She may end up isolating both sides when trying to play - undermining Italy's credibility and influence on the world stage.

Meloni as a bridge

The story of modern Italy has always been one aspect.

During the Cold War, Italy walked a thin line between NATO's commitment and the accommodation of a powerful domestic communist.

Italy is often governed by a series of often enriched centre-right alliances that are forced to drive fragile political and political violence between the far right and the far left. The central right-wing Christian Democrats who ruled this period got married at home with a strong pro-European view.

In the first decades after the end of the Cold War, Italy continued to open its own lanes - promoting leniency in immigration and financial rules. Italy during this period oscillated between pro-European integration and Eurosceptic rounds, with continuous governments often challenging Brussels in terms of budgetary restrictions or border management.

Meloni's own rise is deeply rooted in tensions after 2015, when Italy was overwhelmed by the Mediterranean immigration crisis, it was abandoned by its European partners. Her party’s tough stance on immigration capitalized with public frustration. Although she now manifests as a firm EU, it is a version of Europe that fits in with her own vision: safer borders, stronger national sovereignty and technocratic interference.

Ironically, Meloni's position seems less popular anymore as the group itself drifts to the right as it immigrates - maybe she can embrace the EU pragmatically, even if she criticizes it ideologically. Meloni's own background and rise reflects this ambiguity and duality. Appearing from the political movement of fascist roots, she now shows herself as a passionate European and pacifist while maintaining a right-wing stance on immigration and cultural issues.

Meloni ruled this way: connecting with conservative heavyweights like Trump and right-wing European leaders, opposing Brussels on controversial policy issues, but also committed to European projects in a sturdy manner when it suits her. Especially when the economy is at risk.

Meloni is a pragmatic Europe

Meloni's strong nationalist rhetoric and right-wing cultural views may contradict the EU's purpose, but her attitude towards the continent is very pragmatic.

Although she often criticized the EU bureaucracy at home, her government remains the largest recipient of EU recovery funds, receiving 191.5 billion euros ($218 billion) of EU recovery funds from the EU's post-Soviet recovery program. By 2026, people are committed to implementing a series of stringent fiscal reforms and austerity measures to a key cash injection in aging countries committed to sustainable development. Furthermore, Italy continues to benefit from long-standing cohesion and structural funds, especially in the economically struggling South.

Meanwhile, Meloni's support for Ukraine helped her separate from the coalition's pro-Russian voice and strengthened Italy's stance with NATO and the EU. This is another strategic move that can improve her credibility at home and abroad. Italy under Meloni is not at the heart of the EU's narrative about solidarity, solidarity and survival.

Spaghetti Western Alliance?

Meloni's nationalist view on the EU (Eu) reconciled her nationalist view, but she also prioritized the idea of ​​selling Italy bilaterally.

This is mainly focused on the savvy charm offensive of the United States, especially since Trump’s return, Trump’s right-wing administration has provided Meloney with anyone who is easy to fit. She tried to leverage both Trump and Musk in Italy to use Rome’s geopolitical position to secure an economic agreement and ease tensions encountered by Trump’s tariffs, which Meloni called “mistake.”

Trump quickly praised her position against “strike back” politics, while Meloni promised to help solve trade issues and promote U.S. natural gas imports while putting Italy at the forefront of negotiations. With Musk, she tries to position Italy as a key partner in technology and energy, driving global gaming with sophistication and ambition.

Italy's trade surplus with the United States and NATO defense has been a big surplus - two things usually sparked criticism from Trump. However, with Meloni, Trump was full of admiration: "She swept across Europe," he said in April, at his last meeting, agreeing to hold another meeting in Rome in the near future.

Meloni's diplomatic ambitions go beyond the United States, including operations in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia. By promoting Italy as a gateway to Europe, she is securing critical investments in energy and infrastructure while promoting Italian exports and increasing diplomatic leverage. Many facts in Europe and even Italy are not here nor here to raise Saudi money. After all, in Italy, leaders have long had an attitude of “money doesn’t smell” or what locals call “Peconomic fragments” – a legend is a quote spoken by the Emperor Vespacians while taxing public diapers.

Will all the roads lead to Rome?

While Meloni's approach to using Italy as a bridge between the United States and Europe may bring some short-term diplomatic gains, it remains a subtle path full of risks. Comfort in Washington under Trump, its policies - especially in trade - have caused widespread outrage in Europe and have the potential to be in trouble in Brussels. Indeed, although Trump praised Meloney's leadership and there were no emergency tariffs on the trade conversation, Europe was cautiously concerned.

Trying to navigate between Trump’s protectionist tendencies and the EU’s collective trade stance may make Meloni unable to satisfy both sides. If Trump pushes for concessions (such as narrowing Italy’s trade surplus with the United States or increasing defense spending), Meloni may find himself in conflict with EU standards and alienating European partners. But, it’s too far in terms of EU consistency – the group’s commitment to Ukraine could deteriorate her ties with Trump’s camp, thereby undermining her influence in the Atlantic.

In trying to please Washington and Brussels, Meloni may end up getting enemies in both, and there are few victories to show.