President-elect Trump will host Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, signaling that he plans to develop warmer ties with one of his closest ideological allies in Europe.
Trump praised Meloni, 47, for “taking Europe by storm” at a dinner on Saturday night. Meloni was elected in 2022 after running on a conservative pro-family and anti-immigration agenda and criticized by many media outlets as being “far right.”
Meloni is Italy’s first female prime minister and has served as leader of the Brothers of Italy party since 2014.
Meloni’s coalition may be Trump’s closest ideological ally in the EU. Meloni has also developed a close relationship with top Trump ally Elon Musk, who has frequented Mar-a-Lago since Election Day.
Congo starts exporting LNG on initiative of Italian company
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni speaks to the media after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (not pictured) at Villa Pamphili in Rome, Italy, on October 10, 2024. (Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Similar to the United States, Italy faces a serious illegal immigration problem, with migrants crossing the Mediterranean to reach Italian shores. Meloni’s “return center” policy ensures migrants are not released to Italy during the asylum process, a program she said has become a “model” for Europe.
“This is a new, brave, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly embodies the European spirit,” she said of the plan in October.
Meloni has also proven unconventional on social issues, taking action last year to restrict the parental rights of same-sex couples. This policy ensures that only biological parents of children in same-sex marriages have full parental rights.
French far-right seeks alliance with Conservatives after stunning EU parliament victory
Tesla CEO and X CEO Elon Musk speaks at the Atreju political conference organized by Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) on December 15, 2023 in Rome, Italy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni’s right-wing party has organized a four-day political festival in the Italian capital. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
Meloni’s coalition government has also proven to be unusually stable compared to Italy’s recent history. She has avoided infighting within her party, and opposition leaders have been unable to unite any candidates to effectively challenge her.
Italian Prime Minister Meloni’s allies hit back at criticism, saying policy remains unchanged, but “Europe has changed”
All of this puts Meloni in a natural position to serve as an intermediary between the Trump administration and the EU over the next four years.
Georgia Meloni made an unannounced appearance at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence this weekend. (Kevin Dickey/Getty Images)
Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, also attended Meloni’s visit to Trump’s Florida mansion this weekend.
Click here to get the Fox News app
President Biden He will travel to Rome later this week to meet Meloni and then Pope Francis. The White House said Biden’s meeting with Meloni would “underscore the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship” and that the president would also thank the prime minister for his “strong leadership of the G7 over the past year.”
