(NewsNation) — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, with tariffs at the top of the agenda.
Trump said he and Meloni talked about trade and “many other things” during their luncheon on Thursday, and said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been in touch with other nations.
“We have a lot of countries that want to make a deal, frankly, they want to make deals more than I do,” Trump said.
With Americans facing rising costs from tariffs, Trump says prices are already starting to get better.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union, Meloni said she is certain a deal will be reached between them and the U.S.
A spokesperson told the Associated Press earlier this week that 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.”
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. Trump, in a Thursday Truth Social post, said, “Every Nation, including China, wants to meet!”
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!”
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.