Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni of Italy traveled to Mar-a-Lago to visit President-elect Donald J. Trump for an informal meeting on Saturday, three people familiar with the trip said.
The trip comes just days before Ms. Meloni will welcome President Biden to Rome for an official visit to Italy and the Vatican on Jan. 9 to 12.
Mrs. Meloni and Mr. Trump has expressed mutual respect in the past, and his trip is one of the first of several by a foreign leader to visit the president-elect's Florida home since he was elected. The meeting bolsters the hopes of Ms Meloni's supporters that the conservative Italian prime minister will be Mr Trump's ally in Europe.
A large part of that role will involve mediating differences between other European leaders and Mr Trump, who has threatened to start a trade war with the continent and reduce US support for other NATO countries and for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The agenda for the meeting was unclear Saturday night, but observers expected the two leaders to discuss those issues.
Another possible topic, according to observers, is the arrest in Iran of the famous Italian journalist, Cecilia Sala. It happened a few days after Italy was arrested, at the request of the United States, an Iranian suspected of supplying drone parts to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Iran routinely detains foreigners and dual citizens for trading money and people.
Someone who was informed about this meeting said Ms. Meloni pressed hard.
He also has a good relationship with Elon Musk, which his supporters hope will strengthen his international standing if Mr. Trump is president.
Since he was elected, Mr. Trump has welcomed at Mar-a-Lago Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, a champion of “unconventional democracy,” and Argentina's flamboyant president, Javier Milei. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada became the first leader of the Group of Seven to visit Mr. Trump in Florida since the election, after threatening to impose tariffs on Canada.
Maggie Haberman responsible reporting.
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