Rome:
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni surprised everyone with an unofficial visit to President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Florida residence, as confirmed by her office on Sunday.
Photos released by the office of the far-right prime minister early Sunday showcased Meloni and Trump posing at the entrance to Mar-a-Lago, engaging in conversation in a reception room with a Christmas tree in the background.
Although her office did not provide an official statement and did not respond to multiple requests for confirmation of the Saturday visit, US media outlets reported that the visit included a film screening and dinner.
The images of the two conservative leaders together made headlines in all of Italy’s newspapers on Sunday.
Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, is among a few foreign leaders, such as Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who have visited Trump. Trump is set to be inaugurated for the second time on January 20.
Meloni’s visit precedes a four-day trip to Rome by US President Joe Biden, during which he is expected to meet with Meloni and separately with Pope Francis.
In the photographs released by her office, Meloni is also seen shaking hands with Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
(This article has been republished from a syndicated feed without any edits by NDTV staff, except for the headline.)
