Italy Giorgia Miloni to meet with Trump amid a trade confrontation with Europe

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni will meet US President Donald Trump on Thursday amid a tense trade confrontation with the European Union on customs duties.

Meloni’s visit to Washington makes her the first European leader to meet the president since he announced a tariff on European imports earlier this month.

Trump is a fans of Meloni, the right-wing popular leader of the Italy-who has risen brilliantly along with the tide of other similar populist parties in Europe. He described her as a “wonderful woman” who was really eating Europe from the storm, “when they met in Mar Lago in January.

However, this course-Melonian diplomatic skills-will be tested on Thursday, where leaders meet amid wider fears of the full trade war between the United States and the bloc.

In early April, Trump announced a 20 % “mutual” tariff for all the commodities imported from the European Union as part of the vast global trade tariff policy. He has since reduced the duty to 10 % for 90 days, allowing negotiations to try to find a commercial deal.

The European Union, in turn, suspended a 25 % revenge tariff targeting 21 billion euros (23.8 billion dollars) of US exports. European Commission President Ursula von der Lin Comment last week The European Union wants to “give negotiations a chance” but if they are not not satisfactory, the European Union anti -Union procedures will begin.

The European Union will watch Meloni with Trump carefully, and hopes that it will be able to help in talks to find a compromise to solve what Trump sees as an unfair and unbalanced trade relationship due to the European Union’s continuous trade surplus with the United States

Meloni was described as something from “Trump whispered” Who can weaken the position of the US leader when it comes to trading with the European Union. She won the title after Trump clearly enjoyed a five -hour meeting in his resort in Mar Lago, Florida in January. It is also scheduled to be Vice President MP JD Vance in Rome on April 18.

“On Thursday,” said Wolfango Piccoli, co -chair of risk consulting, in e -mail analysis.

“However, despite the follow -up of this visit even before the“ Liberation Day ”period (the name that gave American officials to the day the global customs tariff was announced on April 2), fears are increasing that it can lead to counterproductive results, especially Trump’s recent treatment of various foreign foreign leaders.

“One of the main challenges of this visit will show that Meloni works as a mediator on behalf of the entire European Union, not only to defend Italian interests.”

Italy can benefit towards export, the third largest economy in the eurozone, in a large way from the European Union’s trade deal because it will not want to lose a profitable market for its best exports to the states. These include medical machines and products, as well as cars, clothes, food and drink. However, Rome recorded a trade surplus of $ 43.9 billion with the United States in 2024, American data appears.

When Trump’s 20 % tariff was announced on the imports of the European Union, Meloni was among the leaders who regretted the decision, saying it was “wrong” but urges its European counterparts to try to avoid trade war.

Meloni said: “The definitions are wrong and not in the interest of either side,” noting that Italy “will do everything we can work on an agreement with the United States, with the aim of avoiding a trade war that will inevitably weaken the West for the benefit of other global players.”

Meloni has also warned that Italian food and drink exports can severely reach the customs tariff, noting that “Italian agricultural food products are required all over the world, of course with Europe.”

“It must be remembered that the United States is the second largest destination market, as exports rise by 17 % in 2024. The American market is essential for us.”

Peculi from Tenio said that Meloni’s cautious response to the American customs tariff was also driven by her belief that the greatest risk to Italy’s economy does not lie in the definitions themselves, especially as it is currently applied in a reduced form, but in possible consequences for a full trade war that involves revenge definitions or an American quantity from the United States. “

“Such scenarios can affect Italy’s general financial resources significantly. Current estimates indicate that the customs tariff can reduce Italian exports by 0.3 % to 0.5 % of GDP, although the actual effect is likely smaller due to the impact of limited success, many Italian exports are distinctive or specialized products, which makes it difficult Replace it in the short term. “