Donald Trump has said that he will have “very little problem” securing a trade deal between the US and the European Union, following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The 27-nation bloc faces 25 per cent import tariffs on steel and aluminum and cars, and broader tariffs on almost all other goods as part of the US President’s “retaliatory tariffs”.
The levies were announced earlier this month in response to the EU’s 25 per cent rate on US goods.
“We're going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anybody else, because we have something that everybody wants,” Trump told reporters during the White House press conference.
Trump expressed optimism about a deal with Europe before the pause concludes
Reuters
Last week, both the EU and the Trump administration announced they would suspend the tariffs for 90 days.
Trump expressed optimism about a deal with Europe before the pause concludes.
"There'll be a trade deal 100 per cent,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “We're going to make fair deals.”
He added: “We're in no rush. We are going to have very little problem making a deal with Europe or anyone else.”
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Despite the praise and suggestions of respect for one another, neither publicly suggested they were close to an agreement
Reuters
Trump greets Meloni upon her arrival at the White House in Washington
Reuters
Meloni - the first European leader to meet Trump since his “Liberation Day” announcement - has said that would invite the US President to visit Italy.
“We have a very good relationship together and as countries,” Trump said, who went on to praise Meloni for “taking Europe by storm”.
Despite the praise and suggestions of respect for one another, neither publicly suggested they were close to an agreement.
Meloni said she was “aware of what I represent and of what I am defending” ahead of the meeting.
Meloni is the first European leader to meet Trump since his 'Liberation Day' announcement
Reuters
“I’m sure we can make a deal,” Meloni said in front of journalists at the start of a lunch meeting. “I’m here to help with that.”
The US President did not say if he plans to meet with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, but mentioned more broadly that they’ve had “many” meetings with countries, including “big progress” with Japan.
Trump later said: “We have a lot of countries that want to make a deal. Frankly, they want to make deals more than I do.”
