By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON/ROME (Worthy News) – Italy’s rightwing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says U.S. President Donald J. Trump has accepted her invitation for an official trip to Rome at a time when the third largest economy in the European Union tries to bridge differences between the EU and the U.S. over trade and security.
She made the announcement after the pair met in Washington at a time when Trump imposed tariffs on the EU and wants allies to spend more on defense.
Meloni said Trump’s trip could happen “in the near future” and present an opportunity for him to meet other European leaders. “The goal for me is to make the West great again,” Meloni said in reference to Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.
Trump opened the summit in the Oval Office on Thursday by saying Meloni was “doing a fantastic job” and had “taken Europe by storm,” adding that she had “become a friend.”
Earlier, Trump and Meloni expressed optimism about resolving the EU-US trade conflict. Under Trump’s policy of hitting countries he says impose high barriers to US imports, the EU faces 25 percent import tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars and broader tariffs on almost all other goods.
“I am sure we can make a deal, and I am here to help with that,” Meloni stressed before their talks.
Although Meloni previously described Trump’s tariffs on EU goods as “wrong,” she appeared to be more cautious than others in criticizing Washington, as she agrees with Washington on other issues, such as migration.
TOUGHER RESPONSE
Like Trump, she wants a tougher response toward people trying to enter Europe illegally, as crowds have overwhelmed parts of Italy.
Trump said that, broadly speaking, he expected to make an announcement about trade deals, but he was in no rush. “We’re going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anybody else because we have something that everybody wants,” Trump said.
Before leaving for Washington, Meloni discussed the summit with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.
The charming Meloni has come closer to Trump than several other key leaders:
Germany’s outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and his successor, Friedrich Merz, have so far failed to get a meeting with Trump, though Merz’s request is reportedly pending.
Germany is Europe’s largest economy, but Trump preferred to meet Meloni first, whom he views as a close political ally.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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