Italy’s Meloni Charms Trump to Ease US-Europe Trade Tensions

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is playing peacemaker between the US and Europe, cozying up to President Donald Trump to dodge a messy tariff war. During her trip to Washington on Thursday—the first by a European leader since Trump slapped a 20% tariff on EU imports, then hit pause—Meloni worked her magic to keep the lines of communication open and push for a trade deal. In a laid-back meeting in the Oval Office, Trump was all smiles, saying a trade deal with Europe is “100%” happening, but it’s gotta be “fair.” Meloni backed him up, sounding confident they’d find common ground. While they didn’t nail down any specifics on tariffs, Meloni pulled off a big win: Trump agreed to visit Rome soon, where he might sit down with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU bigwigs. That’s huge, considering Trump’s no fan of the EU, once griping it was “formed to screw the United States.” Meloni’s team called her visit a “commercial peace mission,” a response to Trump’s 10% tariff on nearly all foreign goods and the 20% EU tariff that’s on hold until July. Meloni’s been blunt, calling these tariffs “absolutely wrong” and warning they’d hurt both sides. Her game plan? Flatter Trump, vibe with his views, and pitch a shared mission to “make the West great again.” She also bragged about Italy’s progress under her watch—lower inflation, more jobs—earning a grin from Trump when she jokingly called him a “businessman” who gets her sales pitch. The two chatted about defense, immigration, and trade. Trump gave Meloni props for her hardline stance on migration, saying she’s “taken Europe by storm.” Meloni pointed to Italy’s role in a new EU policy on safe countries for migrants. Things got a bit testy when Italy’s low defense spending came up—1.49% of GDP, below NATO’s 2% goal, which Trump’s always harping on. Meloni promised Italy would hit the target by NATO’s June meeting, easing a sore spot. Meloni’s conservative streak—against open borders and globalism—makes her a natural Trump ally. Since becoming Italy’s leader in 2022, she’s pushed traditional values while keeping Italy in the EU and backing Ukraine against Russia. Her knack for clicking with Trump while sticking up for Europe has some calling her the “Trump whisperer.” Italian opposition leader Carlo Calenda gave her kudos for staying solid on Ukraine and getting Trump to agree to meet EU leaders in Rome, though he wasn’t thrilled about her echoing Trump’s anti-“woke” talk. With US Vice President JD Vance set to visit Rome next, Meloni’s positioning Italy as Europe’s friendly face in dealing with Trump’s America. Trump’s not rushing to seal deals—he’s talking big about agreements with China too—but Meloni’s charm offensive has set the stage for talks that could keep tariffs at bay. By building trust and finding common ground, she’s boosting Italy’s clout and giving Europe a shot at smoother relations with the US.