Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni flocks to Washington with the goal of becoming the latest in European leaders and improving relations with President Trump.
But this week's trip sparked more hope and fear than her previous European leader's visit to the White House due to the unique position she has on the continent.
Her right-wing background differs from other European leaders, with her long positioning her as a potential ally to Trump and being invited to attend Trump's inauguration. These qualifications helped stop speculation that Meloni was able to visit the White House with an Italian first approach, attacking deals for her country and threatening to undermine European unity.
But many diplomats and officials push back such concerns as it is part of Meloni's name as a supportive player on the European stage in recent months.
For Meloni fans, this is a ripe moment for opportunity. For others, it is a key test of whether she can use her affinity with Trump to help Italy and Europe.
“Italy will know that we can claim special ties with the United States,” said Giovanni Orgina, head of the political science department at Luis Guido Cali University in Rome.
Visits are undoubtedly a time of high interest. The 27-national European Union relies on the United States as its most important trading partner, and Trump's trade war threatens to overturn it.
Trump's threat to impose punishments beyond those already in place could demand everything from Chianti to chemicals. And the European economy is on balance as leaders try to persuade Trump with generosity.
“She will play the facilitator,” Italian corporate minister Adolfo Urso said in an interview between the European Commission and the United States. He added that Meloni can count not only as long-standing bilateral relations between Italy and the United States, but also as “an integrated personal relationship between Meloni and Trump.”
The highest level officials in the European Union have a hard time meeting their American counterparts. Despite his attempts, Ursula von der Leyen has been unable to speak to President Trump since he took office.
National leaders were lucky to at least gain an audience. French President Emmanuel Macron, British leader Kiel Starmer and Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin met with Trump in an all-elliptical office.
Many view Meloni's trip as a continuation of those efforts.
“Outreaching to the US is welcome,” Ariana Podesta, deputy chief spokeswoman for the European Commission, told reporters on Meloni's trip on Monday, adding that the trip was also “closely coordinated.”
Podesta said on Wednesday that von der Leyen and Meloni spoke on the phone Tuesday evening, calling contact with the Americans “very positive.”
Still, Meloni's visit has sparked anxiety in some quarters. French Minister of Industry Mark Ferracci told French broadcasters there was a risk that the visit could break the continent's unity. In Brussels and Italy, opposition says Meloni's visit to Washington will reveal how loyal she is to Europe when Trump and his allies continue to portray European leadership as reckless.
“This is a true moment for our prime minister,” Carlo Calendar, former Italian development minister and opposition politician, said in a statement. “We'll see if she's the leader who keeps Europe's Front United and if she succumbs to the flattery of the US president.”
For weeks, Trump's actions — threatening widespread tariffs and leaning towards Russia — have put Meloni in a delicate balance.
The nationalist conservative called Elon Musk a friend and received praise from Trump. Trump calls her a “great woman.” And she often tried to have it both ways, fostering bilateral relations with Trump, while maintaining the role of Italy within a unified EU.
But all new steps by Trump highlight her attempts not to place her on a sideline. She was a strong supporter of Ukraine, but like other European leaders, she did not rebuke Trump after defeating the dress of Ukrainian president Volodymia Zelensky. She also spoke at a conservative political action conference in Maryland in February, calling on the EU not to escalate or retaliate tariffs, and continued her mantra after Trump threw the world into tailspin with widespread tariffs.
On the other hand, she is often in line with other Europe at key moments. For example, Hungary was the only one who opposed the move when European countries voted to impose a rebuttal in response to Trump's collection of steel and aluminum. Italy joined 25 other member states to support retaliation. (Europe then returned these retaliatory tariffs at least temporarily in response to Trump's decision to “suspend” at 90-day tariffs to allow time for negotiations.)
Meloni also said Trump's tariffs were “wrong” and in the preliminary stages of her trip, she didn't inform her of her intention to get a special sculpture for Italy.
“European industrial supply chains are now intertwined,” said Urso, her corporate minister. “We certainly don't want to split Europe.”
European officials are now trying to push negotiations to their American counterparts. Authorities are offering economic carrots, including the possibility of reducing tariffs on automobiles and other industrial products and increasing European purchases of natural gas, but threatening to retaliate if the deal is not reached.
Even those skeptical of Meloni point out that there is a good reason to grab the European line in Washington on Thursday. Italy may be a massive economy, but the EU is stronger to win concessions when united.
“It's a key moment for Italy,” analyst Orsina said. “And that could be important to Europe too.”
As for Meloni, she doesn't seem to have any illusions about the import of talks with Trump.
“I don't feel any pressure over the next two days,” Meloni joked at an awards ceremony in Rome on Tuesday afternoon. “We'll do our best,” she said.
