President-elect Donald Trump hosted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at his Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday, marking the latest in a series of meetings with world leaders following his November election victory.
Meloni’s visit follows meetings with Argentina’s President Javier Milei, the first head of state to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. These meetings underscore Trump’s efforts to solidify international relationships ahead of his presidency.
During the visit, Trump and Meloni attended a screening of a documentary highlighting challenges faced by conservative lawyers in the legal system. Trump described the event as “very exciting,” praising Meloni:
“I’m here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. She’s really taken Europe by storm, and everyone else, and we’re just having dinner tonight.”
The documentary screening included Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Representative Mike Waltz, his choice for national security adviser, and Scott Bessent, the incoming administration’s nominee for Treasury secretary.
Meloni’s visit coincides with heightened tensions between Italy and Iran after Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained in Tehran late last month. Sala’s detention has strained diplomatic ties, as Iran demands the release of an Iranian businessman arrested in Milan on a U.S. warrant linked to a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Rome on Thursday to meet with Meloni and Pope Francis. The White House emphasized that Biden’s meeting with Meloni will “highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship” and include acknowledgment of her leadership in the G7 over the past year.
As Trump prepares for his inauguration, his meetings with international leaders signal a focus on forging alliances and addressing key geopolitical issues in the lead-up to his presidency.