Meloni Heads to Washington Amid EU-US Tariff Tensions
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday in a bid to ease escalating trade tensions between the United States and the European Union. With the EU anxious to avoid a full-blown trade war, Meloni is expected to press Trump for negotiations over tariffs that have strained transatlantic relations.
Following her Washington visit, she will return to Rome to host US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, underscoring Italy’s central role in facilitating US-EU dialogue.
Meloni is believed to be working closely with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the meeting, hoping to revive the EU’s rejected zero-for-zero tariff offer on cars and industrial goods. Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, initially set at 20%, and his 25% duties on steel, aluminum, and automobiles from Europe, had been partially eased for 90 days to allow talks. Yet with negotiations stalled, pressure is mounting on both sides to find a diplomatic path forward.
Italian media have emphasized Meloni’s personal rapport with Trump, cultivated through several past encounters, including her attendance at Trump’s inauguration and visits to Florida and Paris.
In addition to trade, Meloni and Trump are expected to tackle a wide array of global issues, including defense spending, the war in Ukraine, the Middle East crisis, energy security, and China. Italian daily La Stampa reported that Meloni has instructed her coalition ministers to avoid controversial comments during her trip, amid concerns about EU unity.
