Minor controversy in Italy over Vance-Salvini phone call (Sidelining Meloni?) [View all]

JD Vance had a perfect phone call with his "good friend" Matteo Salvini, the Vice Premier of Italy and leader of the Lega, a far right party and part of Italy's governing coalition. There's only one minor issue: Salvini is not the Italian Foreign Minister - that's Antonio Tajani. The Italian political press is hypothesizing that this was Trump-Vance trying to make an end run around Meloni, who has been a staunch defender of Ukraine despite her far right credentials. Tajani himself had to come out and say that "La politica estera la fa il presidente del consiglio e il ministro degli Esteri" (in short: foreign policy is conducted by the President of the Council -- that is, Meloni -- and the Foreign Minister). Tajani went on to say that the call was "personal" and legitimate, but to remind the press of protocol is being read as a significant rebuke of Salvini. In other words, "You don't conduct foreign policy."

Why it's important, potentially: Meloni and Tajani have been strongly anti-Putin and have also been in talks about rearmament of European countries independently of US assistance. While relatively friendly with Trump, they are certainly on different sides when it comes to Ukraine, Russia, and European rearmament. Is Vance making the first moves to sideline Meloni and replace her with the more pliable Salvini? That's the thinking. And if you thought Meloni was bad (she is), you do not want to see the sniveling stronzo that is Matteo Salvini. He will be a true Trump-Putin puppet.