ROME — “Fascist,” a “new Hitler,” of “great strength” — these are just a few of the adjectives Italians in Rome used to describe President Donald Trump.
This week, the Trump-Vance administration will meet with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni twice.
They met first earlier today in the White House. The conversation varied from the war in Ukraine to immigration policies, but included talks of a trade deal over the 10 percent tariffs Trump imposed on the European Union.
On Friday, April 18, Meloni will welcome Vance and his family to Rome for another conversation, before the Catholic vice president attends Easter activities in the Holy City.
Meloni has emerged as Europe’s best chance at getting to Trump. She shares many of his conservative, nationalistic views, including strong anti-immigration policies and criticizing what she called “woke ideology” in their Thursday meeting. She was also the only European leader invited to his inauguration in January.
But Italians are not as favorable of Trump, nor are they united in their opinions of him and his tariffs.
“He’s ignorant, a fascist,” Ilaria Mercanti, who works at the Pantheon, said. “I’m worried for the United States, and especially for immigrant people in the United States.”
Some Italians praise Trump’s politics, particularly regarding international relations.
“He has a great strength that others do not have,” Giacomo Moscati, a surgeon, said. “He is the only one able to understand the reasons of Israel, unfortunately, in a Europe that is becoming more anti-Semitic. He is the only one able to understand and make peace between Ukraine and Russia.”
Though Moscati said he does not approve of heavy tariffs imposed on Italian exports, he said he supports higher tariffs on other countries.
“I feel very sorry for the Americans because they will no longer be able to eat our parmesan,” Moscati said. “But I must say it would also be fair that not only Italians, but also Europeans and Chinese paid perhaps a little more taxes to the United States that they are not paying for now.”
Moscati also said he liked Vance “to death,” and called him a “true vice president.”
Others feel Trump has gone too far, and that Italy’s economy is paying the price.
“It’s trouble for the Italian industry, for the wine and cheese industry,” Gianluigi Zaccaria, a filmmaker, said.
“Trump is a somewhat peculiar character who is currently creating a lot of turmoil in the financial markets, and everyone is paying the consequences right now,” Niccolo Paoloni, a university professor, said. “Let’s hope that they find an agreement that can bring benefits to Italy.”
Heavy tariffs on exports would hit Italy’s economy hard. Exports of Italian goods — from luxury clothing and Ferraris to Nutella, wine and cheese — make up a third of its GDP.
“Donald Trump must be more balanced,” Rosa Favane, a school principal, said. “He must be kinder to other countries that love America … it is much fairer to continue to collaborate as America has always done with Europe.”
Meloni’s conversation with Trump on Thursday was promising. Trump said there will “100 percent” be a trade deal with the EU, but that he is in “no rush” to do so. As Vance heads to Rome in time for Easter, European leaders and Italian citizens alike hope the effort is worth it.
Giulia Elena Tubili contributed to translations.