Overview
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on April 17 to negotiate over newly imposed 20 percent tariffs on EU goods.
- Meloni announced plans to repurpose up to 25 billion euros from EU funds to support Italian businesses impacted by the tariffs, subject to European Commission approval.
- French officials have criticized Meloni's solo meeting with Trump, warning it could weaken the EU's unified stance against U.S. trade measures.
- Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized Italy's strong relationship with the Trump administration as a potential advantage in securing a favorable outcome.
- Polling shows that 63 percent of Italians view Trump unfavorably, increasing domestic pressure on Meloni to achieve meaningful tariff relief during the talks.