Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni travels to the United States to meet President Donald Trump.
She is the first European leader to visit Washington since Trump imposed new tariffs on imports from the European Union. The US president signed a decree imposing 20% tariffs on EU imports while temporarily suspending their implementation.
Meloni hopes to persuade Trump to accept a “zero tariff” agreement for the European Union.
Italy is particularly vulnerable to any change in US trade policy. About 10% of the country’s exports, worth around 67 billion euros ($76 billion), go to the US, Italy’s third-largest trading partner outside the EU. Trump’s tariffs announced earlier this month have forced Rome to cut its economic growth forecast by half.
“We know these are difficult times,” Meloni said before leaving. “We will do everything possible. I am aware of who I represent and what I stand for.”
