Trump watches movie with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni..Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made an unexpected visit to President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida over the weekend. This meeting marks another instance of a foreign leader engaging with Trump as he prepares for his upcoming inauguration. During their time together, they enjoyed a meal and discussed various topics, including viewing a documentary titled “The Eastman Dilemma: Lawfare or Justice,” which examines the legal challenges faced by a lawyer involved in attempts to overturn the 2020 U.S. election results in Trump’s favor.
Photos released by Meloni’s office show her and Trump smiling at the entrance of Mar-a-Lago, with a festive Christmas tree in the background. Trump praised Meloni, calling her “a fantastic woman” and noted her significant impact on European politics. “She’s really taken Europe by storm,” he remarked during the evening.
Meloni later expressed her gratitude on social media, sharing a photo from their meeting and stating, “Nice evening with Donald Trump, whom I thank for the welcome. Ready to work together.” The visit received extensive coverage in Italian media, with images of the two leaders featured prominently on newspaper front pages.
This visit comes just before U.S. President Joe Biden’s scheduled four-day trip to Rome, where he is expected to meet with Meloni and Pope Francis. Meloni’s engagement with Trump is part of a broader effort by international leaders to establish connections with his incoming administration ahead of its inauguration on January 20.
Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, joins a list of other leaders who have recently visited Trump, including Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. Her relationship with Trump is seen as potentially beneficial for U.S.-EU relations, particularly given their shared conservative ideologies.
The backdrop of this diplomatic activity includes concerns over Trump’s proposed economic policies, which may affect traditional trade relationships due to potential heavy import tariffs. Additionally, Trump’s advisor Elon Musk has stirred controversy with comments about European governments, further complicating international relations.
Meloni’s visit follows her attendance at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, where she also dined with Trump and Musk. The interactions between these leaders reflect ongoing efforts to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes as they prepare for future collaborations.