Optimism on show, but tough talk might happen off camerapublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 17 April

18:34 BST 17 April

John Sudworth
North America Correspondent

Georgia Meloni has come to Washington carrying the hopes - and fears - of her European counterparts.

The cause for optimism was on display from the moment of her arrival, with these words from President Trump: The chemistry with Trump has been much talked about and, for an EU reeling from Trump’s blizzard of tariffs, that is Meloni’s biggest asset – her ability to speak the Trumpian language of a populist conservative leader with an anti-globalist, tough-on-immigration agenda.

But that very same dynamic is fuelling concerns in Brussels too.

For President Trump, diplomacy is all about personal relationships and the worry is that he could use the Italian PM to undermine European unity, a concept he has deep disdain for.

The EU, he claimed recently, was formed to rip off the United States.

Meloni will be on tricky ground in terms of Italy’s own trade gap with America, a deficit built on Parmesan and Prosecco, among other products, of some $45bn, one of the largest among the trading bloc.

Her mission though is not to negotiate the detail of trade policy – that is for the EU Commission – but rather to set the mood.

But as she sat down with the US president, she seemed to acknowledge there may be discussions ahead.

If there is going to be any tough talk – over America’s approach to the Ukraine war for example – expect it to take place well out of sight of the TV cameras.

Image source, Reuters

Giorgia Meloni is the first European leader to meet Donald Trump since he imposed 20% tariffs on the European Union earlier this month, in response to the EU’s 25% rate on US goods.

Both sides have now suspended the tariffs for 90 days.

About 10% of Italy’s exports – worth about €67bn (£57bn; $76bn) – go to the US.

Meloni said she was “aware of what I represent and of what I am defending” ahead of the meeting, in which she is expected to try to convince Trump of the merits of a “zero-for-zero” tariffs deal with the EU.

Some in Europe hope Meloni’s close relationship with Trump could help her case. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who hasn’t spoken to Trump since his return, has discussed the meeting with Meloni.

But some warn the meeting could undermine European unity, with French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci warning that Trump's strategy with "bilateral talks" was to "divide Europeans".

Italy objected to his comments, which were later toned down by a French government spokesperson.

Image source, EPA

Trump and Meloni are now heading to lunch before going into their private meeting inside the White House.

Here's a quick summary of what just happened in the public part of their meeting:

• The two seem to be on good terms. Trump greeted Meloni warmly, calling her a “great prime minister” and mentioning their long friendship
• Meloni says she’s confident she can strike a deal with Trump on tariffs
• Trump boasts he’ll have “very little problem making a deal with Europe” because he has “something that everybody wants”
• Meloni says she wants Trump to visit Italy and meet EU leaders
• Trump also mentions China, saying he’s going to make a very good deal with them

Wrapping up the public part of his meeting with Meloni, Trump says: "We're going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anybody else because we have something that everybody wants.

"You know what that means? We're going to have very little problem."

Reporters are then ushered out of the room as private talks between Trump, Meloni and their delegations in Washington begin.

Image source, Reuters

When asked if the EU will resume retaliatory tariffs if no agreement is reached, Meloni says she's confident there will be a deal between the US and Europe.

She adds that her goal for this visit is to work towards that and to invite Trump to Italy, where she hopes to organise a meeting between Trump and Europe.

"I think the best way is that we simply speak frankly about the needs that every one of us has, and find ourselves in the middle," she says.

Image source, EPA

When asked if the US should be worried about its allies getting closer to China, Trump simply replies: "No."

"Nobody can compete with us," he adds. "I think we are going to make a very good deal with China."

Giorgia Meloni is now answering a reporter's question.

She says she's confident she can reach an agreement with Donald Trump.

"I'm sure we can make a deal. I'm here to help with that," she says.

"I think the best way is that we simply speak frankly."

Meloni adds that she's in Washington to find a way to make both the US and Italy "stronger".

More from Trump ahead of the meeting.

He says he likes Meloni "very much".

"I think she's a great prime minister. I think she's doing a fantastic job," he says, adding he's known her "right from the beginning" as prime minister.

"She's one of the real leaders of the world," he says.

Image source, Reuters

We’re now hearing from members of the press as they ask questions to US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before their meeting.

When asked why she’s in Washington, Meloni says she believes in "West unity".

Trump then says Meloni "believes in the president", which she agrees with, and adds: "We need to grow together, that's why I'm here."

Trump goes on to say the US and Italy have a very good relationship, before confirming: "There will be a trade deal, 100%," he says, "but it will be a fair deal".

US President Donald Trump is now greeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as she arrives at the White House.

Stay with us as we bring you the key moments from their meeting.

Image source, Reuters

As we've been saying, Meloni and Trump are generally thought of as being on good terms.

But tariff policy is set EU-wide, and Trump's relationship with the bloc is broadly viewed as much less favourable.

Meloni has previously described the US tariffs as "wrong", but said she would work towards a deal to "prevent a trade war".

Speaking in Rome on Tuesday, addressing Italian entrepreneurs and business leaders - who stand to lose from Trump's tariff - she looked ahead to her Washington trip and chuckled nervously.

"As you can imagine, I'm feeling no pressure at all," she joked.

Image source, Reuters

Ahead of his meeting with Giorgia Meloni later today, Donald Trump has shared an update about his recent talks with foreign officials after tariffs were imposed on imports.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump says he had "a very productive call" with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum yesterday.

He also touts a "very productive meeting" with "the highest level" trade representatives from Japan on Wednesday.

"Every Nation, including China, wants to meet! Today, Italy!" he says.

Meloni is known as the Trump whisperer - can she strike a balance?published at 16:07 British Summer Time 17 April

16:07 BST 17 April

Nomia Iqbal
North America correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

This is arguably the most significant meeting Trump has as far as Europe is concerned.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is the first European leader to meet Trump since he announced tariffs on European imports. However, she is uniquely placed when it comes to Trump - he is a big fan of hers and she was the only European leader at his inauguration.

As a result, Meloni has earned the moniker “the Trump whisperer.” She's also good friends with Elon Musk.

But whilst the Italian premier may have ties with Italy’s far right, Meloni has also proven to be very collaborative with Europe since entering office. EU leaders will therefore be hoping she is the one who will push Trump towards a trade deal and avoid a big tariff war.

That rapport with the president and her collaborative diplomacy with Europe will be hugely tested today - can she strike a balance that pleases both sides?

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is now in Washington DC ahead of her meeting with Donald Trump.

We’ll be following this meeting closely, so stay with us.

Image source, EBU

In a sign of the closer relationship between Meloni and Trump, the Italian prime minister was the only EU leader to attend Donald Trump's inauguration earlier this year.

Here she is pictured in the rotunda of the US Capitol on 20 January, alongside Argentina's President Javier Milei and China's Vice-President Han Zheng.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

The meeting between Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni has been delayed by an hour, to 13:00 EDT (18:00 BST), according to Italian media.

The Italian prime minister was originally expected to arrive at the West Wing of the White House at 12:00 EDT (17:00 BST).

Riccardo Alcaro, of the Italian Institute for International Affairs in Rome, says Meloni’s position has always been that Europe shouldn't take any decisions that put it on a collision course with the US.

Her view is that “Europe should adapt rather than resist”, he says.

"If the Trump administration is immovable on tariffs, she'll agree to counter tariffs,” he says, “but her first move is always to say ‘no’. Because ultimately she thinks the importance of the West in the world is thanks to the US, and that the West revolves around the US."

Meloni “knows that Italy is strategically, politically and economically subordinate to the EU”, he adds, but “she also has a genuine proximity to Maga Republicans”.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

During the briefing call with reporters this morning, a senior administration official wouldn't comment on the chances of a US-EU trade deal happening soon after today's meeting.

He explained that the meeting was planned "long before" tariffs were introduced.

The official said the Trump administration wants to "advance the ball and get into a dialogue".

He also believes Italy has a key role in the Europe-Middle East-India trade corridor, and said the White House sees Italy as an "important" market for US products.

Trump, he added, "won't simply focus on how Italy's marketplace can be opened up, but how they can help us with the rest of Europe".

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC

Greetings from Washington DC, where it’s sunny but colder than usual ahead of Giorgia Meloni’s visit to the White House.

I’ll be heading to the White House later, but just a short while ago I joined a briefing call with senior administration officials about today’s agenda.

One thing was clear: the US President will press the point that Italy needs to spend more on defence – a key demand for Nato allies from the Trump administration.

“Certainly, that will come up,” one official said. “There are eight countries that aren’t meeting their 2% threshold. Italy is unfortunately one of them.”

Italy currently spends about 1.49% of its GDP on defence, well below what the official described as a “much needed” threshold.

The US has repeatedly urged Nato allies to up their military spending, particularly in recent months as the administration seeks an “America First” approach to foreign policy.

Image source, Getty Images

The US president has strongly criticised the EU on trade, claiming it was “formed to screw the United States”.

Meanwhile, the EU says there is no justification for the US raising tariffs, but that it is open to negotiations.

Here’s a look at how tariffs have escalated in recent weeks:

• The US imposed 25% tariffs on all foreign steel and aluminium imports, including from the EU
• Trump then brought in a 10% tariff on almost all foreign imports to the US - including those from the EU - on 5 April, although some categories of goods are exempt
• He also introduced a 25% tariff on car exports, which again was not EU-specific but will also impact the bloc
• The EU was one of the trading partners he threatened with “retaliatory” tariffs, which would have seen the general tariff on most EU goods raised to 20% - but Trump then announced a 90-day pause, meaning the tariff on most EU imports remains at 10% until July
• The EU had approved retaliatory 25% tariffs on a range of US goods in response to Trump’s initial metals tariffs, but it also put the implementation on hold for 90 days to mirror Trump’s pause, saying it wants to negotiate