Rome – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged on Sunday to protect Italian businesses from the impact of new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, as she navigates the delicate balance between her political alignment with Trump and the need to defend Italy’s crucial export sector.
Trump’s planned 20% tariff on goods from the European Union poses a significant threat to Italy’s exporters. In a video message to a congress of the League party, her coalition ally, Meloni stated, “We did not, of course, agree with the decision of the United States, but we are ready to deploy all the tools — in terms of negotiations and economically — needed to support our businesses and sectors that could be penalised.”
Meloni also took the opportunity to criticise the European Union’s internal policies, calling for a revision of the Green Deal and other regulations she argued were stifling economic activity. “We once again call forcefully for Europe to review the ideological regulations of the Green Deal and overregulation in every sector, which today constitute real internal tariffs that would end up adding senselessly to the external ones,” she said.
According to Italian media reports, Meloni may meet with President Trump in Washington during the week of April 14. While she attended his inauguration in January, this would mark her first official visit to the US capital since then, potentially offering a platform to address the escalating trade tensions directly.
Meloni’s remarks reflect growing concern in Italy over the dual pressure of external US tariffs and internal EU regulatory burdens, as Rome seeks to safeguard its industries amid rising global protectionism.