Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni traveled to Mar-a-Lago to visit President-elect Donald J. Trump for private talks on Saturday, three people familiar with the trip said. I made it.
The visit comes just days before Meloni is scheduled to welcome President Biden in Rome for an official visit to Italy and the Vatican from January 9th to 12th.
Meloni and Trump have expressed mutual appreciation in the past, and the visit will be one of the few visits by a foreign leader to the president-elect’s Florida mansion since he took office. The meeting strengthens hopes among Mr. Meloni’s supporters that the conservative Italian prime minister will become Mr. Trump’s reliable ally in Europe.
Much of that role involves mediating tensions between other European leaders and Mr. Trump, who has not only threatened to start a trade war with the continent but also It also suggests reducing U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members and Russia.
The topic of Saturday night’s meeting was not clear, but officials expected the two leaders to discuss these issues.
Another possible topic, observers say, is the detention in Iran of prominent Italian journalist Cecilia Sala. It happened a few days after Italy was arrested at the request of the United States. Iranian suspected of providing drone parts to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Iran routinely detains foreigners and dual nationals and exchanges them for money and talent.
A person briefed on the meeting said Mr. Meloni actively sought the meeting.
He also has a good relationship with Elon Musk, and his supporters hope his international standing will further rise if Trump becomes president.
Trump has welcomed Mar-a-Lago since his election. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbánand Argentina’s rabble-rousing right-wing president, Javier Millei, a defender of “illiberal democracy.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau became the first Group of Seven (G7) leader to visit Trump in Florida after the election after he threatened to impose tariffs on Canada.
Maggie Haberman Contributed to the report.
