Overview

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday to advocate for a 'zero-for-zero' industrial tariff deal between the U.S. and EU.
• The visit comes after Trump’s recent 90-day pause on global tariffs, providing a window for potential negotiations without immediate economic repercussions.
• Meloni’s trip has raised concerns among some EU leaders, particularly in France, about the risk of undermining collective EU trade strategies.
• Italy, one of the EU’s largest exporters to the U.S., is under pressure to protect its €40 billion trade surplus while maintaining solidarity with EU partners.
• Meloni’s dual role as both an EU emissary and a close Trump ally highlights her balancing act between national interests and broader European unity.