Trump and melons optimistic about trade tensions: ‘We have a very good relationship …’

The European Union is facing 25 percent imported customs duties on steel, aluminum and cars and wider customs on almost all other goods towards Trump’s policy that, according to his administration, is hit by countries that impose high barriers with US imports.

Meloni, sitting at the table opposite Trump ahead of lunch at the White House, said she was sure she could agree on a store.

« I’m sure we can agree on, and I’m here to help it, » the Italian Prime Minister said.

Trump is sure of achieving trade agreements, but he is nowhere in a hurry.

« We will have very little problems with arranging an agreement with Europe or anyone else, because we have something that everyone wants, » Trump said.

Meloni said she would invite Trump to visit Italy. She added that she expects Italy to announce at the next NATO meeting in June that she will succeed in achieving a goal of two percent of GDP consumption on defense.

« We have a very good relationship together, AI as a country, » Trump said.

Meloni, a 48-year-old Conservative to whom Trump is prone to, was the only EU leader invited to Trump’s inauguration in January. Trump’s move last week to pause most of the global customs duties for 90 days alleviated some pressure on the melons.

Two high US officials who spoke with journalists on the eve of the visit said Trump and Meloni had a « very special relationship » and that he saw it as a « valuable interlocutor » between the United States and Europe.

Trump will make it clear in the conversations that « it expects Italy and the whole of Europe to do its part to be good trade partners with the US, » said one official.

Their meeting was held the day before Meloni would host Vice -President JD Vance in Rome. These consecutive conversations could be a key indicator of whether melons can play the role of intermediaries between the US and Europe.

Meloni walks on the wire between his ideological preference for the US president and his relationships with European allies who have criticized Trump’s increase in customs and his decision to exclude the European Union from negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

The melons at home face the pressure to protect the Italian economy aimed at export, which was achieved last year by a trade surplus with the USA of € 40 billion.

But it is also expected to defend the interests of the entire EU block out of 27 members.