Hard-right friendships tested as Italy's Giorgia Meloni seeks a break on trade from Trump

“Everybody hopes that, but nobody knows what she’s going to be able to achieve,” said Charles Grant, founding director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank. Despite her rapport with Trump, Meloni’s Italy is to some extent also “in the doghouse” with Trump's team, Grant said, because of its low defense spending and trade deficit with Washington — two of Trump’s biggest bugbears.

...“Whether her personal charm can overcome these problems,” Grant said, “remains to be seen — but I’m sure she will give it a go.”