While in the United States the polls were closed and the votes were counted, the rest of the world – including Italy – wasted no time in having its say on the return to the White House of the former president of the United States Donald Trump. Between congratulations, hopes and some "diplomatic perplexity", the Comments there was no shortage of them, and each leader wanted to make their expectations clear.
The center-right's reactions to the US vote
From Italy, the Prime Minister was among the first to express her opinion Giorgia Meloni, who highlighted the strong ties between the two countries: “On behalf of myself and the Italian Government, my most sincere congratulations to the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump. Italy and the United States are 'sister' nations, linked by an unshakable alliance, common values and a historic friendship. It is a strategic bond, which I am sure we will now strengthen even more. Good work, President.”
The vice-premier Matteo Salvini he hailed Trump's victory as a possible opening for a new phase of global stability: "Trump will serve the interests of American citizens, as is right. If, in pursuing these interests, we were able to create a new international balance, with the closure of the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Palestine, the entire world would gain." In a message on social media, Salvini also celebrated the values of "patriotism, border control, tax cuts, Christian roots, freedom of speech, commitment to world peace."
The Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto sent his best wishes to Trump, recalling what he previously stated at NATO and the EU: "We will have to demonstrate that we want and are willing to guarantee our own security first, without waiting for the American citizens and government to do it at their expense". While entrusting the United States with the role of deterrence, Crosetto reiterates: "We will have to take charge of our part of Defense, national and collective".
Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed confidence in strengthening transatlantic relations: “We are working to strengthen the bond with the United States, our main interlocutor in foreign policy. Transatlantic relations are the priority of the Italian government.”
The opposition's reactions: from Calenda to Renzi to Conte
On the other front, Carlo Calenda e Matteo Renzi expressed less enthusiastic positions. The leader of Azione took the news as a stimulus for Europe to find its compass, without sparing a certain skepticism: "Trump's election confirms many things that unfortunately we already knew about the politics of this decade: fear and anger as the main voting mechanism; disregard for public ethics and the triumph of conflicts of interest." Calenda also invited Europe to "make a qualitative leap" to face the challenges that the Trump presidency could represent.
The leader of Italia Viva acknowledged the verdict of the polls, underlining his respect for the result: “Donald Trump has clearly won the American elections and will be the 47th President of the United States. There are many reflections that the political world can and must make on this clear response of the polls, but the first moral and civil duty is to recognize the result with congratulations to the winner and the honor of arms to the defeated Kamala Harris.”
The Giuseppe Tale, leader of the M5S, who has adopted an ambiguous approach from the beginning and has never openly sided with Harris, congratulated Trump: "Best wishes for a good job to Donald Trump, 47th president of the United States, by virtue of a clear victory, also extended to the popular vote. The challenges that await the United States are many and concern us all: stopping the wars in progress, fighting with the utmost firmness against violations of international humanitarian law, opening up to a multipolar vision of the new geopolitical balances, aiming for fair rules for international trade, avoiding the protectionist spiral of duties and counter-duties".
Of a completely different opinion, Riccardo Magi of +Europa, who called Trump's victory a real "disaster for the rule of law, for minorities, for freedom, for the fight against climate change." Magi expressed fear for a Europe that might have to face alone "Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the Middle Eastern question, global warming."
He remains silent, for the moment, Elly Schlein and with her the entire Democratic Party who had bet on Kamala Harris' victory to also be released in Italy.
Views from abroad: who celebrates Trump and who chooses caution
Outside Italy, congratulations came from the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who enthusiastically declared on Facebook: “Good morning Hungary! On the way to a great victory.” Also Elon Musk, the tycoon's first supporter, applauded the "crystal clear mandate" that, in his opinion, Trump has received from voters.
From Türkiye, the president Erdogan expressed the desire for greater cooperation, hoping for a positive effect on regional and global conflicts: "I hope that relations between Turkey and the US will strengthen and that the crises will come to an end." Words that are linked to those of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not miss the opportunity to praise Trump for the "greatest comeback in history" and to reiterate the value of the alliance between the US and Israel.
Even the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, congratulated Trump on his “impressive” victory in the US presidential elections. This was stated in a statement from the Kiev presidency. The Ukrainian leader hopes that Trump's victory “will help Ukraine achieve a just peace”.
Decidedly more tepid, the approach chosen by Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin. Peskov said he did not know whether Vladimir Putin would congratulate the US president-elect, recalling that the United States is "a hostile country, directly and indirectly involved in a war" against Russia. He also stressed that Russia was waiting for "concrete steps" to assess the new Trump presidency.
Europe: Caution and Waiting for Trump's Return
From the European front, Ursula von der Leyen expressed “sincere congratulations” and called for a strong transatlantic agenda: “The EU and the US are more than just allies. We are linked by a true partnership between our peoples.” And again Emmanuel Macron, French President, offered a diplomatic greeting: "Congratulations, President Donald Trump. Ready to work together as we have done for four years." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sent his congratulations, consolidating the European willingness to dialogue with the new US administration, as did the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte: “I look forward to working with him again to promote peace through strength through NATO.”
In this first wave of statements, different shades of expectation and hope emerge, but also of concern and caution. Now all that remains is to see if the "historic victory" will translate into that "crystalline change" so long awaited (or feared) by many.
