(NewsNation) — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, with tariffs likely at the top of the agenda.
Meloni is expected to speak for Italy and the European Union as a whole. A spokesperson told the Associated Press earlier this week Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have “closely coordinated” outreach ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
“We know we are in a difficult moment,” Meloni said this week in Rome. “Most certainly, I am well aware of what I represent, and what I am defending.”
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The visit is the latest in a busy week of negotiations. The Trump team is also meeting with Argentinian President Javier Milei, the EU and a Japanese trade delegation.
The White House said it is looking over trade proposals from at least 15 countries, and Trump on Wednesday touted “big progress” from talks with Japan.
While he looks to settle tariff disputes with some countries, Trump is turning up the heat with China and threatening a 245% tariff on some of its goods.
The latest levy threat comes as China has reportedly ordered airlines not to buy American-made Boeing planes, vowed not to ship key minerals to the United States and boosted its oil imports from Canada.
As of Thursday, China said Trump’s tariff hikes no longer make economic sense. China and the U.S. have no plans to negotiate tariffs.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has warned tariff policies — which he called “significantly larger than expected” in early April — may hurt the economy in the long term.
Trump criticized Powell early Thursday for the Fed’s latest decision to hold off on interest rate changes.
On social media, Trump said Powell “should have lowered Interest Rates, like the ECB, long ago, but he should certainly lower them now. Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!”
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As everyday Americans and agriculturalists alike brace for impact, top Trump officials said help may be coming for farmers caught in the trade war.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told NewsNation last week the administration is working on a package to help mitigate potential damage done by tariffs to U.S. farmers “if necessary.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is discussing a possible bailout for farmers, similar to the tens of billions of dollars he gave to farmers during his first presidency.
