The Italian Prime Minister’s upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump will focus on trade, tariffs, and China’s global influence. Rome is positioning itself to secure its economic interests and bolster a united front to protect Europe’s strategic priorities
Key developments. On Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss a range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including tariffs and relations with China.
- The meeting comes as Meloni prepares to engage in high-level discussions to ease tensions between the US and the EU, thereby avoiding a trade war—leveraging her good personal rapport with Trump.
- Notably, she was the only European leader to attend his inauguration ceremony in January and delivered remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February.
- “We know we are in a difficult moment,” she said on Tuesday. “We have overcome far greater obstacles and will overcome even more challenging ones,” stressing the vital role of exports for Italy’s economy.
- Earlier on Tuesday, Meloni convened a meeting with Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani (Foreign Affairs) and Matteo Salvini (Transport), as well as Ministers Giancarlo Giorgetti (Finance), Tommaso Foti (European Affairs) and Guido Crosetto (Defence).
What to expect. Italy, the third-largest economy in the Eurozone, currently enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the USA but is also among the countries most penalised by the 10% tariffs still in place on various European products.
- Notably, Italy does not wield direct negotiation power in commercial matters, as these fall under the purview of the European Union.
- On Tuesday, a modest step forward was marked by a meeting in Washington between European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic on one side and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick along with Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the other.
- Meloni’s mission may open up new avenues for US investments in Italy and also pave the way for a tougher stance against Beijing—a theme that remains central to the Trump administration.
- According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration wants trading partners to limit China’s involvement in their economies in exchange for concessions on reciprocal tariffs.
- An informal meeting between Meloni and Elon Musk is not ruled out during her mission.
- In March, Bloomberg reported that the Italian government is increasingly doubtful about finalising a €1.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) deal with Musk’s Starlink.
- On Tuesday, US Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr, a longtime ally of Musk who Trump tapped to run the agency after his re-election as president, told the Financial Times that European allies who have reservations about working with Starlink will have more to worry about if they side with Chinese satellite internet services.
- Prime Minister Meloni is scheduled to host US Vice President JD Vance in Rome on Friday.
- Vance will return to Europe following his visit to Germany in February, during which he delivered a fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference.
Expert insights. Italian diplomat Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo—former Deputy Secretary General of NATO—has warned that Europe must strengthen its defence through increased investments and a unified military approach.
- In an interview with our sister website Formiche, he stressed the importance of bolstering transatlantic ties while integrating the policy shifts reflected in Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa.
- Gaetano Quagliarello, a former minister and current Dean of the Luiss School of Government, warned that the European Union must work towards changing the perception that the US views its relationship with the EU as parasitic or harmful.
- He also stressed the need to ensure that open approaches towards China, as seen in countries like Hungary, Greece, and Serbia, do not spread further.
