‘I like her very much’: Donald Trump praises Italy's Giorgia Meloni as she visits White House

Donald Trump called Giorgia Meloni, who is on a visit to the United States, a "very special person" and "a friend" who "has taken Europe by storm".

Published on: Apr 18, 2025, 09:57:53 IST

By HT News Desk

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US President Donald Trump on Thursday heaped praises on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying that she is doing a “fantastic job” in her country.

US President Donald Trump meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC. on April 17, 2025. (REUTERS)

Donald Trump called Giorgia Meloni, who is on a visit to the United States, a “very special person” and “a friend” who "has taken Europe by storm".

"I do like her very much," he told reporters in the White House as Meloni sat across the table from him. “I think she's a great prime minister, and I think she's done a fantastic job in Italy. We are very proud of her.”

He also called the Italian prime minister “one of the real leaders of the world”.

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"I knew her right from the beginning. I knew her from her early days as prime minister. I knew she had great talent. She's one of the real leaders of the world. We have a good relationship, together and as countries," Trump added.

Meloni also highlighted the conservative common ground between the two leaders and said she wanted to “make the West great again”, according to AFP.

The Italian PM stressed upon their shared views on immigration and "woke" ideology and added: "The goal for me is to make the West great again, and I think we can do it together."

Also Read | 'We're in no rush…' says Trump as he holds tariffs talk with Italy PM Meloni

The Italian leader said Trump had accepted an invitation to visit Rome in the "near future" and that he might also meet European leaders there.

"I want to thank President Trump for having accepted an invitation to pay an official visit to Rome in the near future and consider the possibility, on that occasion, to meet also with Europe," Meloni said, according to Reuters.

Meloni is the first leader from Europe to visit the Republican since he slapped 20 per cent tariffs on EU exports, which he has since suspended for 90 days. She had criticised Trump's tariff move as “wrong”.

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