THE HILL - Is Giorgia Meloni the ‘Iron Lady’ for the Trump era? by Vilda Westh Blanc and Tim Rosenberger, opinion contributors - 07/24/25 12:00 PM ET

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Is Giorgia Meloni the ‘Iron Lady’ for the Trump era?

by Vilda Westh Blanc and Tim Rosenberger, opinion contributors - 07/24/25 12:00 PM ET

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump greets Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Washington.

In the twilight of the Cold War, the West’s resurgence was defined by the extraordinary partnership between President Ronald Reagan, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II.

Their alliance — grounded in a shared vision of political freedom, faith and economic liberty — reshaped the world. Today, as President Trump works to remake America’s place in the world and Pope Leo launches his papacy with strong calls for human dignity in the AI era, one wonders who in Europe can rise to the moment as Thatcher once did.

The answer, increasingly, seems to be Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The 2020s are witnessing the rise of a new transatlantic alliance in which Meloni is poised to play the pivotal European role. As the continent’s political center struggles with fragmentation and fatigue, Meloni has emerged not just as a survivor, but as the most powerful person in Europe, a bridge between Washington and Brussels and the architect of a new conservative order.

Why does Meloni matter now? Recall what made the Thatcher-Reagan partnership so exceptional. Thatcher was not Reagan’s sidekick but his intellectual peer and sometimes his challenger. Both leaders were outsiders who stormed the establishment, preaching the virtues of free enterprise and national renewal. Their rapport was legendary, rooted in mutual respect, frequent communication and a willingness to push each other toward bolder action.

Thatcher’s influence was felt not only in her steadfast support for Reagan’s confrontation with the Soviet Union but also in her ability to shape his thinking. Their partnership was not frictionless; disagreements over the Falklands, Grenada and economic policy occasionally flared, but their unity was a force multiplier for the Western world.

Fast forward to 2025, and Europe is searching for a new Thatcher — a leader with the vision, resolve and political skill to partner with an assertive America. Enter Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister.

Meloni’s rise is Thatcherite in its improbability. Once dismissed as a neo-fascist firebrand, she has transformed her Brothers of Italy party from the fringes to the mainstream, presiding over a stable government in a country known for its political chaos. Her coalition dominates Italian politics, and her approval ratings have remained robust even as she pursues controversial reforms.

What sets Meloni apart, however, is her growing stature on the world stage. She has become the European leader most closely aligned with Trump, earning his praise and trust. She was the only EU head of government invited to Trump’s 2025 inauguration — a symbolic nod to her emerging role as the continent’s conservative standard-bearer.

The parallels with the Reagan-Thatcher era are striking. Like Thatcher, Meloni is a conviction politician with a talent for coalition-building and a knack for bending events to her will. She has used her position to shift the European debate on migration, security and sovereignty — championing policies that have been adopted, in some form, by Brussels and emulated by other European leaders.

Meloni’s diplomatic skills have also been on display in her dealings with Washington and Brussels. She has managed to maintain Italy’s support for Ukraine and NATO while also cultivating ties with Trump’s inner circle and other right-wing populists. Her ability to bridge the gap between an increasingly nationalist America and a fragmented Europe is reminiscent of Thatcher’s role as the indispensable transatlantic interlocutor.

Of course, the analogy is not perfect. Meloni’s Italy is not the U.K. of the 1980s, and today’s geopolitical landscape is more multipolar. Thatcher’s Britain was a nuclear power and America’s closest ally. Meloni’s Italy, while influential, does not command the same global clout. Europe today is more fractured, and the threats it faces — migration, energy insecurity, technological disruption — are different from the existential menace of Soviet communism.

Yet Meloni’s impact is undeniable. She has demonstrated that European leaders can still shape the global agenda, provided they combine ideological clarity with political pragmatism. Like Thatcher, Meloni is willing to challenge orthodoxy and take risks, even at the cost of controversy.

As Trump seeks to recast America’s role in the world, he needs a European partner who is more than a cheerleader — someone who can match him in vision and tenacity. Meloni, with her blend of conviction, charisma and strategic sense, is uniquely positioned to play that part.

The Reagan-Thatcher-John Paul II alliance changed the course of history. Whether Meloni and Trump can forge a partnership of similar consequence remains to be seen. But as Europe’s new power broker, Meloni has already shown she is ready to step onto the world stage — and perhaps, like Thatcher before her, help shape the destiny of the West.

Vilda Westh Blanc is a collegiate associate at the Manhattan Institute, where Tim Rosenberger is a legal policy fellow.