For Europes Right, Trump Stirs Caution Alongside Celebration

Standing in the rotunda, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy was a privileged guest at President Trump’s inauguration.The only European leader to attend the event last month, Ms.Meloni shares many of Mr.

Trump’s conservative, nationalist impulses.She is friendly with his billionaire adviser Elon Musk.

Many of her supporters hope that the Italian leader’s special relationship with Mr.Trump will bolster Italy’s standing — and her own.But even as Ms.

Meloni joined a standing ovation for the new American president, it took only moments for Mr.Trump to remind her and others on Europe’s right that the unpredictable American president may be as much an adversary as an ally.“I will, very simply, put America first,” Mr.

Trump said in his inaugural address.“We will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”Since then, Mr.

Trump has warned that he will “definitely” slap Europe with tariffs “pretty soon,” raising the same wariness that many Europeans feel among those on the right who would seem to be his natural allies.While Mr.Trump promises to answer to no one as he prioritizes American interests, many nationalist parties in Europe pledge to do the same for their own countries.

Mr.Trump’s threats go to the heart of their own agendas, and they could hurt the core constituencies on which nationalist parties have expanded their appeal.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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