97. Editorial Note
On two occasions in June 1964, the personal views and evaluations of Italian President Antonio Segni (of the Christian Democratic Party) on the prospects of the current Italian Cabinet were made available to the U.S. Government. On at least one of these occasions, these views were conveyed to President Johnson’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs, McGeorge Bundy. Noted were Segni’s concerns that the recently established Italian Cabinet, consisting of an unprecedented coalition of Christian Democrats and Socialists and led by Christian Democrat Aldo Moro, was unlikely to last, was drifting toward more radical political policies, and was not alleviating the economic plight of Italy. Thus, at a time when the United States was officially supportive of the new coalition government in Italy, certain U.S. Government officials were aware of the skeptical views of President Segni.