Italian premier, top US diplomat hold talks in Rome amid strains in transatlantic ties under Trump

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began talks Friday at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

Before meeting Meloni, Rubio also held talks with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

“I am convinced that Europe needs America, Italy needs America, but the United States also needs Europe and Italy. These are the transatlantic relations; Western unity is fundamental,” Tajani reportedly told Rubio.

Rubio arrived in Rome after meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday.

Relations between the Trump administration and many European governments have become increasingly strained over several issues, especially the Iran war, NATO burden-sharing, tariffs and Trump’s confrontational rhetoric toward traditional allies.

The relationship between Trump and the Vatican has deteriorated particularly sharply over the Iran war.

Pope Leo XIV repeatedly called for peace, dialogue and de-escalation in the conflict, while criticizing military escalation and warning against civilian suffering whereas Trump responded with a series of public attacks, accusing the pope of being “weak,” “terrible on foreign policy,” and effectively enabling Iran.