Mar-a-Lago. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise unofficial visit to US President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on Saturday night, the leader’s office reported on Sunday.
Photos sent by the far-right prime minister’s office showed Meloni and Trump posing at the entrance to Mar-a-Lago and chatting in a reception room, with a Christmas tree visible in the background.
Meloni could also be seen shaking hands with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
“Pleasure night with Donald Trump, whom I thank for the welcome. Ready for us to work together,” Meloni wrote on social media, along with a photo of both.
Saturday’s visit included a movie screening and dinner, according to US media.
“I am here with the Italian Prime Minister, a fantastic woman. She has conquered Europe,” declared Donald Trump according to American journalists.
Photos of the two conservative leaders appeared on the front pages of all Italian newspapers on Sunday.
The film that was screened on Saturday was, according to the same source, the documentary “Eastman Dilemma: Lawfare or Justice”, in which Trump’s former lawyer denounces the double standards of American justice.
Meloni is one of several foreign leaders, including Canadian Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Viktor Orban, who have visited Trump, who will return to the White House on January 20.
The visit by Meloni, who heads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, comes days before the trip to Rome of the outgoing president, Joe Biden, who plans to meet with the Italian leader and, separately, with Pope Francis.
Schedule, “aggressive”
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, will promote an “aggressive” schedule so that Donald Trump receives a multi-million dollar immigration and tax reduction bill in April, in his first 100 days in office, declared the own congressman yesterday Sunday.
According to Johnson, the bill would include funds to strengthen controls at the US-Mexico border and deport undocumented immigrants.
Johnson said his goal is to get an initial House vote on the bill around April 3.
