U.S. President Donald Trump has sparred with most of his fellow Group of Seven leaders at some point. But Italy¡¯s Giorgia Meloni last week did something none of them dared: She escalated.

Unlike Spanish Socialist Pedro Sanchez, one of the few leaders in Europe who has made political capital of being berated by Trump, the Italian prime minister had stood out as one of the few Europeans he actually liked: an outspoken conservative at ease talking MAGA. But Meloni has also transitioned from a populist politician to a practical one.

When Trump repeatedly praised her looks last year?¡ª saying, ¡°You don¡¯t mind being called beautiful, right? You are¡± ¡ª and others objected to the objectification, she let it slide. Which is why her decision to respond in kind to his provocations with some of her own is out of step with how most of her cohort have chosen to handle Trump¡¯s broadsides.

In the past 24 hours, the person who Trump once praised for taking ¡°Europe by storm¡± has done three things that some U.S. allies may have thought privately, but never said publicly. She said he lies and panders to enemies while turning on his friends. She also poked him by telling him to look at his own polling as the November midterms approach, no doubt aware that his popularity has hit new lows.

The backdrop for the schism ¡ª and why it¡¯s not your average kerfuffle ¡ª is important. It came, somewhat unprompted, on the heels of an otherwise jolly G7 gathering where many leaders set aside their reservations about the peace deal Trump was about to sign with Iran. Trump left the G7, a group he¡¯s been critical of in the past, describing it as ¡°one of the most successful.¡±?

The question of whether to appease Trump or play along is one that many U.S. allies have agonized over. In a telling gesture, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was not invited to last week¡¯s meeting in France, partly because some key European capitals were uncomfortable with his fawning over Trump.

There had been a previous Trump altercation with Meloni ¡ª over her defense of Pope Leo XIV in the face of his criticism of the war in Iran ¡ª but that seemed to dissipate quickly.?

At the G7, other leaders had seemed more likely to be the one to take on Trump.

France¡¯s Emmanuel Macron has been a frequent sparring partner. Trump has called him publicity-seeking and said he¡¯d soon be out of office. This being his last term, Macron has little to lose politically.?

And yet the two men seemed to find each other again. Trump was openly delighted with Macron¡¯s hospitality, first...