Trump is hosting Italian leader Giorgia Meloni, a close ally trying to position herself as mediator between the US and Europe. Meanwhile, a judge found probable cause to hold the Trump team in contempt over deportation flights. Listen to the latest Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
Thursday 17 April 2025 17:34, UK
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The US president also says when it comes to tariffs his team will make “fair deals”.
On China, Donald Trump says: “I think we are going to make a very good deal with China.
“You will see we’ll make a good deal with China.”
He adds the US is in “no rush” to announce trade deals.
Donald Trump has kicked off the briefing and says he is “very proud” of Giorgia Meloni, adding “she is doing a fantastic job in Italy”.
“She is one of the real leaders of the world,” he says.
Asked if tariffs are still on the table, Meloni says: “I’m sure we can make a deal.
“I’m here to help on that. I can’t make a deal in the name of the EU.
“My goal would be to invite the president to make an official visit to Italy and to organise a meeting with Europe.”
She says it is important to “speak frankly”.
Trump on this says that “he has very little problem making a deal with Europe”.
Donald Trump is holding a news conference at the White House following Giorgia Meloni’s arrival.
Meloni, who arrived to Washington moments ago, is the first European leader to hold a face-to-face meeting with Trump since he imposed tariffs on European exports.
You can watch the briefing live at the top of this page – and we’ll bring you any updates here.
By James Matthews, US correspondent
They call her the “Trump whisperer”.
In Rome, and in EU capitals far beyond, they hope that Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni can deliver progress on – whisper it – tariffs.
A political soulmate of Donald Trump, he values the relationship and views a political dividend.
Ahead of her trip to the White House, senior administration officials said Meloni was “increasingly” playing a role as an interlocutor for the European Union and is seen as a bridge to broader talks with Europe.
We’re told they’ll talk trade, defence shipping, US energy exports, cooperation on space, AI and other technologies.
The hard yards might be hardest on Ukraine and NATO – US officials have pointed out that Italy is “unfortunately” one of eight NATO countries that hasn’t met the 2% threshold of defence spending.
How special this relationship becomes is especially important to EU leaders looking on.
The Italian PM has been extended an Oval Office invitation denied to top EU officials and there is a nervousness in “Team Europe” that Meloni could exploit the opportunity to pursue Italian interests over the common good, putting self before side.
It is a notion played down by the Rome government and European Commission officials stress a close coordination with their Italian member.
Trust doesn’t extend so readily to her host, however.
A question for today and beyond centres on Donald Trump’s elevation of Meloni to the front of the queue on trade negotiations.
In the effort to bend Europe to his will on tariffs, is a negotiation between mates more malleable?
At EU HQ, they see the potential for best friends carving a deal that compromises Europe’s robust stance.
From their Trump whisperer, they see the danger of sweet nothings.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has arrived at the White House and is being greeted by Donald Trump.
She has become the first European leader to have face-to-face talks with the US leader since he announced and then partially suspended 20% tariffs on European exports.
The pair will soon hold a news briefing and we’ll bring you the latest as we get them.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth is urging France to increase its defence spending and, alongside other NATO allies, take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defence.
The statement from chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell followed a meeting between Hegseth and French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Washington.
Parnell said the two also discussed efforts toward a “durable peace” in Ukraine, without giving further details.
In February, Hegseth said European nations must provide the “overwhelming” share of funding for Ukraine, in a move that reflected a shift in Washington’s position on the war.
Donald Trump has said that the federal government will soon be sending education “back to the states” while congratulating lawmakers in Texas for approving a private school voucher programme.
Here is what he has said…
In March, the president instructed the US education secretary, Linda McMahon, to start dismantling the Department of Education – which oversees the national education policy of the US.
Conservatives in the country have argued education should remain under state control and Trump’s order says closing the department would give children a chance to escape “a system that is failing them”.
By Tom Boadle, business news editor
Ahead of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) decision to cut its interest rates by 25 basis points, Donald Trump lashed out on social media against the independent chair of the US central bank, the Federal Reserve.
The US president said Jerome Powell’s “termination cannot come fast enough” and demanded that he follow the ECB in lowering interest rates after acting “TOO LATE AND WRONG”.
It’s added to speculation that the White House will try and remove Powell from his post before he steps down next year.
It comes after Powell warned in a speech last night that US economic growth will be hit and prices will rise because of the president’s imposition of tariffs on goods being imported into the country.
The Federal Reserve has held its main rate at 4.25% to 4.5% since 18 December.
We have been seeing a media crackdown by Donald Trump’s team since he came to office.
In February, the White House blocked access to the news agency Associated Press (AP) in a dispute over the term Gulf of America.
The news agency refused to change its style from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, after Trump renamed it.
However, the move was overturned last week after the White House lost a court battle brought by AP over its exclusion.
Now, the Trump team’s media crackdown appears to be expanding.
Newswire services including Reuters and Bloomberg News will no longer hold a permanent slot in the pool of reporters who cover Donald Trump, the White House has said.
The pool typically consists of around 10 outlets that follow the president wherever he goes but under the new policy wire services will lose their customary spot.
So why is this significant?
Local news organisations that have no presence in Washington, rely on the wires for up-to-date reporting.
Financial markets are also dependent on the wire services’ real time reports of statements the president makes.
Newswires also provide the public access to independent, impartial and accurate news about their government.
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