**Giorgia Meloni's visit to Washington signals a potential thaw in US-EU relations, focusing on trade, defense, and mutual collaboration.**
**Meloni and Trump Discuss Potential Trade Agreement During Washington Visit**
**Meloni and Trump Discuss Potential Trade Agreement During Washington Visit**
**Italian Prime Minister Seeks to Strengthen US-EU Ties Amid Tariff Uncertainty**
During her landmark visit to Washington, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a trade agreement between the United States and Europe. “I can guarantee there will be a trade deal, 100%,” Trump stated, emphasizing that it would be a "fair deal," while Meloni affirmed her confidence in the potential agreement, declaring her mission to "make the West great again."
Meloni, the first European leader to arrive in the capital since Trump's temporary suspension of 20% tariffs on EU imports, aims to reposition herself as a vital link between the European Union and America amidst ongoing tensions over trade. The discussion between the two leaders covered critical topics such as defense spending, immigration policies, and tariffs, all unfolding in a friendly and relaxed setting during their Oval Office meeting.
Though her aides labeled the visit a "commercial peace mission," it ultimately comes after Trump introduced a controversial 10% import tariff on various foreign goods—a move he has connected with broader criticisms against EU trade practices. Meloni labeled the tariffs as an "absolute mistake" that could harm both the EU and the US economies.
Despite not securing significant gains on tariff matters during her meeting with Trump, Meloni succeeded in inviting him to Rome, allowing her the opportunity to facilitate discussions with other European leaders, including Ursula Von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, which could signal cooperative efforts on the horizon.
The Italian Prime Minister reinforced her position as an ally of Trump through praises of his policies, criticizing “woke ideology,” and underscoring her government's achievements in addressing inflation and bolstering employment. Meloni adeptly leveraged her position, boosting her credibility as a “Trump whisperer” and reflecting a new era of potential cooperation amid European concerns over defense spending.
Following the fruitful dialogue, Meloni expressed a clear expectation that Italy would meet NATO’s defense budget threshold of 2% by the next meeting. This statement was a response to mounting pressures, especially as Italy currently spends approximately 1.49% of its GDP on defense.
As the meeting concluded, Italian opposition leader Carlo Calenda pointed to Meloni's ability to maintain alignment on Ukraine issues and her success in persuading Trump to meet EU representatives in Italy as significant achievements. Nevertheless, he criticized her unwavering support of Trump’s stances on certain cultural issues, urging caution.
