Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to cause a diplomatic stir today st her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington – the first European leader to do so since Trump’s decision to lift retaliatory tariffs on EU goods.
With trade negotiations up in the air, Meloni’s visit is no mere ornament. Acting as a de facto emissary for the European Union, he is here to explain the meanings of Trump’s erratic tariff policy, which has threatened a 20% tax on European exports and then put it on ice for 90 days.
Meloni has worked closely with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the meeting, indicating that there is a joint approach from Brussels. Her assignment as a bridge transmitter in between the Euro and the Uncle Sam is strongly viewed to carry significant weight, specially when yearly transatlantic exchange stands out at €1.6 trillion. 
“She is not schmoozing, as I can believe,” said economist Fabian Zuleeg, but “Trump operates on informal channels – this is where actual messages are transmitted.”
She is also likely to touch on issues such as Ukraine defense spending, and migration, policy areas where her views overlap in some ways with Trump’s but differ sharply on Russia and multilateralism.
Italy had €40 billion in trade surplus with United States before the nuisance adds an extra layer of importance to the talks particularly for tiny Italian producers in food, fashion & energy.
Analysts warn not to anticipate a breakthrough but a clear signal from Washington would be a diplomatic win for Meloni, and for Europe’s strained transatlantic partnership.
