Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to arrive in Washington on Thursday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, in a visit that underscores her increasingly complex role as a bridge between Europe and a volatile American administration.
With trade tensions mounting and EU-U.S. relations entering uncertain territory, Meloni is positioning herself as a rare figure within the European bloc one who maintains open lines with Trump while still advocating for unity within Brussels. But as pressure mounts on both diplomatic and political fronts, the visit carries as many risks as potential rewards.
Meloni, who has called Trump a “friend” and earned praise from him as a “fantastic leader,” is expected to raise the issue of EU tariffs, particularly the 20 percent duties previously slapped on European exports tariffs she has criticized but also sought to resolve through direct dialogue rather than confrontation.
Unlike other European leaders who have backed retaliation or strong-arm diplomacy, Meloni has pushed for restraint, portraying herself as a stabilizing figure who could personally help cool down the transatlantic trade war. But that role has put her in a delicate position especially as EU allies grow wary of her perceived closeness to Washington at a time of strategic divergence.
Domestically, too, the stakes are high. With Italian industries vulnerable to further tariff shocks and political opponents accusing her of aligning too closely with Trump’s unpredictable orbit, the optics and outcomes of her Washington visit could have lasting implications.
Further complicating the trip is Meloni’s support for Ukraine, which could clash with Trump’s increasingly skeptical stance toward the war. Her vocal condemnation of Russia’s recent airstrike on Sumy may put her at odds with the tone she finds in the White House.
While she remains the only EU leader to have been invited to Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, Meloni’s Washington stop is less about ceremony and more about diplomacy under pressure.
