India, April 16 -- Once Donald Trump's closest ally in Europe, Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has now turned against the US President after the latter ridiculed Pope Leo XIV, the first pope to be born in the US. She said that Trump's criticism of the Pope was "unacceptable". Trump's response was to say that Meloni, whom he used to describe as a "fantastic" leader, lacked courage (for refusing to back the war on Iran). This breakdown in relations reflects the larger geopolitical shift underway since President Trump began to impose his unilateral view of global power relations on America's allies in Europe. His transactional approach to Ukraine, claims on Greenland, and tariff threats have caused an erosion of trust in Europe. Rome was one of the few friends Washington could count on. But the recent wars in West Asia have forced Meloni to recalibrate ties with the US-Israel bloc. Early in the war, Italy refused its air bases to the US; now, Rome has cancelled a 2005 defence pact with Tel Aviv. The writing is on the wall for Washington. The energy crisis has hit home, and European leaders have a problem at hand. The Iran war has widened the chasm between Europe and the US....