Visit from Europe: Trump receives Meloni at his home

Even before the change of power in the White House, the future US President Donald Trump welcomed Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at his home. The Republican invited the Prime Minister to dinner at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach. After the quick visit to Florida, Meloni immediately flew back to Rome. The fate of an Italian journalist who is imprisoned in Iran was also discussed.

The total stay of less than five hours had not been announced in advance. Meloni then published a photo together on Instagram. She wrote briefly: “Nice evening with Donald Trump, whom I thank for the welcome. We are ready to work together.” The leader of the right-wing party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) is considered the head of government in Europe with the best connections to the Trump camp. The ex-president returns to the White House on January 20th.

Trump, Meloni and Musk in ancient Roman style

Meloni also maintains a friendly relationship with US billionaire Elon Musk, who advises the Republican. Musk was obviously not there at Mar-a-Lago. However, its representative in Italy, Andrea Stroppa, published a photo collage for the visit that was created using artificial intelligence: Meloni, Trump and Musk next to each other in golden robes like in ancient Rome. Trump wears a purple toga and laurel wreath.

The 78-year-old, who met Meloni at the beginning of December on the sidelines of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, once again praised Italy’s Prime Minister highly. Meloni is a “fantastic woman”. “It has taken Europe by storm and everyone else too.” The Fratelli chairwoman has led a coalition of three right-wing parties in Rome for two years. In foreign policy it is pursuing a European course.

Preferential treatment for Meloni and Orban

The reception at Mar-a-Lago is seen as a clear indication of who Trump particularly values ​​among the EU heads of government. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had previously been a guest there. Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Notre Dame celebrations. However, there was only contact with Chancellor Olaf Scholz by telephone. Trump’s advisor Musk even publicly insulted the SPD politician as a “idiot.”

Watch a film together after dinner

There is speculation in Italy that Meloni could also be present at Trump’s inauguration in Washington in just over two weeks. However, there is no official confirmation of this. Photos from Mar-a-Lago also included designated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s security adviser Mike Waltz.

After dinner, everyone watched the film “Eastman Dilemma” together about the legal disputes after the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost to Joe Biden. It is named after one of its lawyers, John Eastman. To this day, Trump claims without any evidence that he only lost the election because of fraud.

Italian woman imprisoned in Iran is also an issue

Mar-a-Lago was also about the journalist Cecilia Sala, who has been in solitary confinement in Tehran since shortly before Christmas. The Iranian authorities accuse the 29-year-old of violating the Islamic Republic’s media laws. In Italy, however, it is suspected that Sala is being held hostage to prevent the extradition to the USA of a suspected arms dealer with an Iranian passport who was arrested in Milan.

According to the Italian government, other topics included cooperation in the industrial sector and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Meloni has so far been considered a reliable supporter of Kyiv. At the same time, she makes no secret of the fact that she wants to play a central role on the part of the Europeans in dealing with the USA in the future.

The outgoing US President is expected in the Italian capital on Friday. In addition to a meeting with Meloni, the program also includes a meeting with Pope Francis.