Meloni congratulates Trump. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her “sincere congratulations” to Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election.
- She described Italy and the United States as “sister nations” bound by an unbreakable alliance, shared values, and a historic friendship.
- In a social media post, she expressed confidence that this strategic bond would now be further strengthened and extended her best wishes to the President.
- President Sergio Mattarella reaffirmed Italy’s firm commitment to working closely with the United States.
Her ties with Musk. Meloni’s warm relationship with Elon Musk adds another layer to her alignment with the American right.
- Musk, who attended Atreju—the annual gathering of Meloni’s party, Fratelli d’Italia, last year—has publicly expressed support for views closely aligned with Meloni’s on immigration and free speech.
- In September, Musk personally awarded Meloni the Global Citizen Award from the Atlantic Council, underscoring their rapport.
Salvini’s unreserved enthusiasm. Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport, and leader of the right-wing Lega party, has been one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in the Italian government.
- Unlike Meloni, who refrained from expressing a preference between Trump and his opponent Kamala Harris—partly due to her role as Prime Minister—Salvini openly expressed his enthusiasm for Trump.
- He was the first in Italy’s ruling coalition to announce support for Trump’s victory, hailing it as a win for “common sense, passion, and the future.”
- With sharp words aimed at his coalition allies, he boldly claimed to be “one of the few, if not the only one in Italy,” to have supported Trump from the beginning, proudly distinguishing himself from others in Italy’s political establishment.
- Salvini emphasised shared conservative values, including the fight against illegal immigration and support for tax cuts.
Tariff troubles. Salvini also used the moment to reiterate his criticism of the European Union, echoing Trump’s scepticism of the bloc.
- Citing concerns about the EU’s trade policies, he stated, “The U.S. and China protect their markets; it’s Europe that needs to wake up.”
- He called for a pro-European agenda that would prioritise European industries, particularly the automotive sector, aligning with Trump’s protectionist trade stance.
Tajani’s warnings. Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and leader of the center right Forza Italia party, expressed concern over potential tariffs on Italian exports to the U.S., warning that Italy’s economy—where exports account for around 40% of GDP—could suffer.
- “Tariffs are always a concern because our economy is heavily reliant on exports, and the American market is crucial for us,” he said.
- Tajani’s remarks come as he prepares to join President Sergio Mattarella on an official visit to China to reinforce the recently renewed strategic partnership with Beijing.
- This follows Italy’s decision not to renew its Belt and Road Initiative memorandum.
- Tajani emphasised the importance of dialogue with China while cautioning against “expansionist” policies, reiterating Italy’s support for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Defence vision. Guido Crosetto, the Minister of Defense, emphasised the importance of Italy taking greater responsibility for its own defence while also relying on NATO for deterrence.
- He stated that Italy must demonstrate its commitment to securing its own borders and sovereignty by showing that it is willing and capable of ensuring its security.
- Crosetto added that Italy could not solely rely on the American government and its citizens to bear the burden of its defence, and therefore they must take on the responsibility themselves.
- He also acknowledged that, while they will still need to rely on NATO for deterrence, Italy must take responsibility for its own national defence and the collective defence that comes with it in the long term.
