JD Vance wants to visit Italy by Easter

The US Vice -President JD Vance intends to pay a visit to Italy later in April, a diplomatic source said on Tuesday, emphasizing the seemingly close relations between Washington and Rome.

Italy is one of the few countries in Europe that has tried to show a conciliatory attitude towards President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently stated that he supports the stinging attack launched by Vance in February to European leaders.

Vance would visit Italy on April 18-20, which would coincide with Easter holidays, but the data were not yet fixed, the source noted, confirming information previously broadcast by Bloomberg.

The US Embassy in Rome and Vance’s office in Washington did not immediately respond to a comment request.

The Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini discussed Vance on the phone two weeks ago, indicating later on Instagram that the call « reaffirmed the strong friendship and cooperation between our two countries. »

Meloni was the only leader of the EU to participate in Trump’s inauguration in January and carefully avoided any criticism against the US President, despite the tariffs imposed by Europe and the threat that she will abandon Ukraine in her war with Russia.

In an interview given last week to the Financial Times, Meloni supported the harsh speech by Vance in Germany, in which he accused Europe of censoring freedom of expression, of silenced to silence the far-right political opponents and that he failed to control immigration.

« I have to say that I agree, » Meloni said. « I say this for years: Europe has been stray. »

Vance is a Roman-Catholic, but it would be unlikely to see Pope Francis if he came to Easter Italy, the Pontifical Sovereign is still in recovery after a double pneumonia and unable to receive visitors.