A face-to-face meeting that lasted well beyond what had been planned – over coffee and some biscuits – aimed at repairing a relationship that risked deteriorating after a series of accusations from U.S. President Donald Trump, following an initial period of cordiality. The long-awaited meeting at Palazzo Chigi took place between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had come from an audience at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV, who had also been targeted by the tycoon.

In front of the cameras, in the Sala dei Galeoni dominated by Renato Guttuso’s painting “The Battle of Ponte dell’Ammiraglio,” Meloni and Rubio exchanged a handshake and cordial greetings. The U.S. top diplomat was welcomed in the courtyard of the Prime Minister’s office by Meloni’s diplomatic adviser, Fabrizio Saggio, in the presence of the U.S. ambassador to Italy, Tilman J. Fertitta.

The private discussion then continued for more than an hour and a half. What was initially described as a “courtesy” visit became an opportunity to address the tensions that have emerged in recent weeks. At Palazzo Chigi, officials had been displeased by Mr. Trump’s accusations about Italy – and about Meloni personally – regarding a lack of commitment on the Iran dossier. The prime minister had replied sharply in recent days. Meloni herself summarized the meeting on social media: “A broad and constructive exchange,” she wrote, “during which we addressed numerous issues, from bilateral relations between Italy and the United States to major international matters, including the crisis in the Middle East, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the stabilization of Libya, and the peace processes in Lebanon and Ukraine. A frank dialogue between allies who defend their national interests but both understand how precious Western unity is.” The message Meloni sent to Washington was clear: this is not the time to split (VIDEO).

Main topics of the meeting

The core issues of the discussion were the escalation involving Iran and the energy question. According to accounts, the prime minister reiterated Italy’s position: willingness to provide minesweepers for any demining operations in the Strait of Hormuz – a strategic artery for global trade – but only with parliamentary authorization and as part of a shared international framework. Also on the table was the future of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon, another key dossier in talks between Rome and Washington.

These themes are also reflected in notes released by the U.S. State Department after Rubio’s Rome meetings. In the conversation with Meloni, which Rubio called “excellent,” the secretary of state reaffirmed the desire to strengthen the “enduring strategic partnership” between the United States and Italy, emphasizing the importance of close coordination on shared priorities and transatlantic cooperation to address global threats.

In the meeting at the Farnesina with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the same strategic issues were discussed. Rubio in particular stressed the need to guarantee freedom of navigation and maritime security at key international choke points, with a clear reference to tensions in the Gulf. The conflict in Ukraine was also addressed, and Washington urged Western allies to safeguard their economic interests amid an increasingly unstable international environment.

Also in the background was the question of the U.S. military presence in Europe, after President Trump recently floated the possibility of a partial withdrawal of U.S. troops from the continent. Rubio, however, said the matter was not discussed directly with Meloni. “We did not discuss specific topics” such as the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Europe, he explained, noting that such a decision “is up to the president.” Rubio reiterated that he is “a strong supporter of NATO,” recalling that a key reason for the U.S. presence in the Alliance is to have forces stationed in Europe available for potential crisis scenarios. He added that this balance may no longer be assured equally by all Alliance partners and therefore “warrants further examination.”

According to Italian sources, on international developments and the Hormuz issue the U.S. secretary of state provided an update on negotiations with Iran. Meloni reportedly expressed frankly the awareness that a closure of the strait would affect everyone’s economy. For Italy, these sources say, the preferred route would be a United Nations Security Council resolution, which could broaden the mission to other countries to resolve the crisis. Rubio, it is reported, assured that reopening the strait to navigation is a U.S. priority, but he could not yet provide a timetable.

There was also discussion on the situation in Venezuela, where many Italians reside, while on Libya and Lebanon there was alignment on strategies, with the United States recognizing Rome’s capacity – particularly regarding the Lebanon crisis – to maintain dialogue with all parties. Confirmed as off the table were issues related to U.S. bases in Italy.

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