The Italian language served as a strategic advantage for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her charm offensive with U.S. President Donald Trump and his deputy, JD Vance, in a series of transatlantic meetings.
Meloni met with both Trump and Vance at the White House on Thursday before returning to Italy. Vance also departed Washington after their discussions to spend the Easter holiday in Rome.
At a bustling joint press conference in the Oval Office, Trump expressed his admiration for the Italian language when Meloni addressed the traveling journalists in her mother tongue.
“That was so beautiful! What did you say?” Trump exclaimed after she responded to a question regarding the war in Ukraine, notably contradicting his assertion that Ukraine’s president was responsible for the Russian invasion.
Upon arriving in Rome with his family, Vance had lunch with Meloni, during which she delivered a message in Italian, describing Thursday’s discussions as “fantastic” and emphasizing the “privileged relationship” between their countries.
“Prime Minister Meloni, it’s great to see you again, and I hope that’s exactly what you said. She could have called me a jerk, and I wouldn’t know, but it would be in the most beautiful language, so I wouldn’t even be offended,” he remarked, eliciting laughter.
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Trump has often criticized the European Union, claiming it was established to undermine the United States. However, he maintains a positive relationship with the national conservative Meloni, who was the only EU leader he invited to his inauguration in January.
In an effort to solidify her status as a preferred ally, Meloni informed reporters in the Oval Office that she backed Trump’s opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives and “woke ideology.”
She also committed to purchasing more U.S. gas and expressed her desire for Italian companies to increase their investments in the United States, hoping this would persuade the U.S. president to reconsider or even eliminate proposed tariffs on Italian and EU imports.
Additionally, she extended an invitation to Trump to come to Rome, suggesting it could serve as a chance for him to engage with other European leaders he has previously avoided. He accepted the invitation, although no specific date was established.
Trump has openly expressed his disdain for various global leaders, having previously snubbed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and publicly reprimanded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a White House meeting in February.
However, he appeared keen to demonstrate that he has allies on the global stage, as he praised a beaming Meloni.
“Everyone admires and respects her, and I can’t say that about many individuals,” he remarked on Thursday. “I would say she has made a significant impact on Europe.”
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