Meloni and Trump Meet in Washington, Vow to Strengthen Western Ties

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Holy Thursday, April 17, in a visit focused on reaffirming transatlantic ties and bolstering Western cooperation.

The meeting underscored shared priorities between the two leaders, ranging from economic and defense collaboration to energy security and space exploration.

“My goal is to make the West great again, and together we can achieve it. We will continue working toward that direction,” declared Meloni following her meeting with the U.S. president. “We can do it,” Trump replied, speaking to reporters. “In our meeting, we talked about trade and other issues. Meloni has made a real breakthrough in Europe,” he added.

Meloni highlighted the importance of revitalizing the West, not merely as a geographic concept but as a cultural and civilizational force. In this context, she emphasized Italy’s intention to increase imports of American liquefied natural gas and to raise defense spending to meet NATO’s 2% of GDP benchmark. She also pointed to her government’s interest in further developing nuclear energy.

Trade was a key topic during the talks, with both sides expressing optimism about future agreements. Trump signaled confidence in reaching a deal with the European Union on tariffs.

“I am 100% sure there will be no problems reaching a deal on tariffs with the EU—none whatsoever,” Trump stressed, adding that the trade agreement would be “fair”. He also expressed the belief that the U.S. would also strike a solid deal with China.

Meloni invited Trump to visit Italy in the near future—a gesture he accepted. The former U.S. president also praised the Italian leader’s role on the global stage, describing her as a strong and effective head of government who has significantly increased her influence in Europe.

While the meeting took place against the backdrop of broader geopolitical challenges, it projected a message of unity between two political figures who have often aligned on issues of national sovereignty, Western values, and economic realism.