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Watch: Italy PM Georgia Meloni defends Donald Trump when asked if he called Europeans 'parasites'
During the meeting, Italian PM Meloni and Trump discussed reciprocal tariffs and both expressed confidence in a trade deal between Europe and the US.
Addressing the media at the White House, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni came to United States President Donald Trump’s aide when a reporter asked the latter whether he had ever called Europeans “parasites”.
As the reporter was asking the question to Donald Trump, Meloni shot back before he could process the question and said, “He has never said it”.
Trump promptly turns to Meloni to clarify, to which she responds, “Have you ever said that Europeans are parasites? Have you said it?”
Trump replies, “No” before he turns to the reporter and says, “I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” followed by laughter from Meloni and other reporters.
The video of the incident is going viral on social media. Take a look-
Trump-Meloni meet
Italian PM Georgia Meloni met Trump in the United States on behalf of the European Union to cut a deal with him over his reciprocal tariffs on the continent.
During the meeting, Trump showed confidence for a trade deal with Europe. He said that was 100% certain of an eventual trade deal with Europe after Thursday’s meeting with Meloni. Both the leaders expressed confidence that a deal could be negotiated before the 90-day tariff pause ends, said a report by Reuters.
However, Trump also added that he was in no rush to cut any such deal as yet. “We’re in no rush…We are going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anyone else,” he was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
During the meeting, Meloni extended an invitation to President Trump to visit Italy in the near future, which he accepted. Meloni said that while visiting Italy, Trump might meet other leaders of the European Union as well. "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 was quoted as saying by Reuters.
