The unannounced visit to Florida comes ahead of Meloni’s planned meeting with President Joe Biden in Rome this week, the last overseas trip of Biden’s presidency.
Observers had expected Meloni and Trump to talk about possible U.S. tariffs on Ukraine, European companies and the Middle East. Above all, Meloni is keen to find a quick solution to the detention of Italian journalists in Iran.
Journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested in Tehran after Italian police detained Iranian Mohammad Abedini Najafabad, who was wanted by the Americans. If the United States drops its extradition request or makes other concessions to Iran, it would facilitate Sara’s release and be a major victory for Meloni at home.
Trump and Meloni met for 90 minutes and then watched a screening of a documentary questioning the criminal investigation facing Trump’s former lawyer John Eastman, according to media reports.
President Trump told the assembled crowd at Mar-a-Lago: I came here with a wonderful woman, the Prime Minister of Italy,” according to the report.
“She really took Europe by storm,” Trump reportedly said.
The trip raises hopes among Meloni’s supporters that she could become Trump’s main interlocutor in Europe, even though she is working with the Biden administration on Ukraine issues. This will increase the The two sides met last month on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Meloni also has a good relationship with tech billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of President Trump.
