President-elect Donald Trump welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday. Meloni’s visit highlights the growing connections between Trump and influential global leaders ahead of his upcoming administration.
Meloni follows Argentina’s President Javier Milei, who was the first world leader to meet Trump at Mar-a-Lago after Trump’s election victory in November. Other notable figures, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, have also visited Trump in Florida.
The evening began with Trump attending a screening of a documentary that explores challenges faced by conservative lawyers in the legal system. Trump entered the grand ballroom around 7 p.m. and later returned after sharing dinner with Prime Minister Meloni.
Introducing Meloni to the audience, Trump said, “This is very exciting. I’m here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy. She’s really taken Europe by storm, and we’re just having dinner tonight.”
During the event, Trump and Meloni watched the documentary alongside key members of Trump’s incoming administration. These included Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who has been tapped as the next secretary of state; Florida Representative Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice for national security adviser; and Scott Bessent, nominated to lead the Treasury Department.
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Meloni’s visit comes amidst rising tensions between Italy and Iran. Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was recently detained by Iranian authorities while reporting in Tehran. Italy is currently in a diplomatic standoff with Iran, which is demanding the release of an Iranian businessman arrested in Milan on a U.S. warrant. The businessman is linked to a drone attack in Jordan last year that killed three U.S. soldiers.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Rome this week to meet with Meloni and Pope Francis. The White House has stated that the meeting will underscore the strong U.S.-Italy relationship and provide an opportunity for Biden to thank Meloni for her leadership as head of the G7.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the visits to Mar-a-Lago signal Trump’s active engagement in shaping international relations before officially taking office.
