Then, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 4, 2025.
Italian government | Reuters
The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will meet with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in Thursday in the middle of a tense commercial confrontation with the European Union on tariffs.
Meloni’s visit to Washington makes her the first European leader to meet with the president since he announced tariffs on European imports earlier this month.
Trump is a fan of Meloni, the leader of the populist brothers of the right of Italy, one that has increased in prominence along with a tide of other similar populist parties in Europe. He described her as a “fantastic woman” who “was really taking Europe by assault” when they in Mar-a-lago in January.
But that report, and Meloni’s diplomatic skills will be tested on Thursday, as the leaders are in the midst of broader groups of commercial warfare between the United States and the block.
At the beginning of April, Trump announced a “reciprocal” rate of 20% on all EU imports as part of its wide global commercial rates policy. Since then, it has reduced duty to 10% for 90 days, which allows negotiations to be carried out to try to find a commercial agreement.
The EU in turn stopped its rates of 25% retaliation aimed at 21 billion euros ($ 23.8 billion) of US exports. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, commented last week that the EU wants to “give the negotiations a chance”, but if the conversations are not satisfactory, the EU countermeasures are activated.
The EU will carefully see Meloni’s meeting with Trump, hoping to help conversations to find a commitment to resolve what Trump sees an unfair and unbalanced commercial relationship due to the persistent commercial surplus of the EU with the United States.
Meloni has been described as a kind of “Trump whisper” that could placate the position of the US leader when it comes to trade with the EU. He obtained nickname after Visible Trump enjoyed a five-hour meeting with her at her Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida in January. It is also due to the vice president of JD Vance in Rome on April 18.
Thursday’s meeting “repeats a key opportunity for her to demonstrate the large amount to President Donald Trump and her possible role as a credible interlocutor capable of revitalizing transatlantic dialogue,” said Wolfango President Piccoli.
“However, despite having made this visit even before the” Liberation Day “period [the name U.S. officials gave to the day global tariffs were announced on April 2]The concerns are growing that it could be counterproductive, especially considering Trump’s recent treatment to several foreign leaders, “added the analyst.
“One of the main challenges of this visit will show that Meloni is acting as a mediator on behalf of the entire EU, not only in defense of Italian interests.”
The elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 4, 2025.
Italian government | Reuters
Export-oriented Italy, the third largest economy in the euro zone, could greatly benefit from a commercial agreement of the United States, since it won because losing a lucrative market for its main exports to the United States. Those include machinery and medical products, as well as cars, clothing and food and drink. However, problematically for the Trump administration, Rome registered a commercial surplus or $ 43.9 billion with the USA. In 2024, as shown by US data.
When Trump tariffs or 20% on EU imports were announced, Meloni was among the leaders who regretted the decision, saying that it was “incorrect”, but urging their European counterparts to try to avoid a commercial war.
“The tariffs are wrong and not in the interest of any of the parties,” said Meloni, and pointed out that Italy “would do everything possible to work in an agreement with the United States, with the aim of avoiding a commercial war that inevitably is week in favor of its global actors.”
Meloni had also warned that Italian food and drink exports could be affected by rates, noting that “Italian agricultural products are in demand worldwide, beginning of course with Europe.”
“It should be remembered that the United States is the second largest destination market, and exports increase by 17% in 2024. The US market is essential for the United States.”
Piccoli de Teno said that Meloni’s cautious response to US tariffs was also driven by his belief that the greatest risks to the economy of Italy are not found in rates, particularly because they are currently apples or a reduced ignition war, a commercial war that involves retaliation rates or a US disorganization of the European defense. “
“Such scenarios could significantly affect the public finances of Italy. Current estimates suggest that rates could reduce Italian exports by 0.3% to 0.5% of GDP, thought that the real effect is probably lower due to the limited pass, the Niche area of Nichefs, making them difficult to replace in the short term,” he said.