Focus on the BIG picture.
Monday, Aug 17, 2026

Giorgia Meloni Accepts Invitation to Attend Donald Trump's Potential Inauguration

The Italian Prime Minister joins European far-right leaders in considering attendance at a possible event, highlighting political alignments amid diplomatic discussions.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, confirmed she has received an invitation to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration should he secure the U.S. presidency again.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome on Thursday, Meloni stated her willingness to participate in the event scheduled for January 20, provided it fits into her agenda.

In doing so, she ends weeks of speculation concerning her presence among the invitees for the event.

‘I would be happy to be there,’ Meloni remarked.

‘I’m evaluating the compatibility with the agenda.

If I can, I will gladly participate.’

If Meloni attends, she will not be the only representative from Europe’s far-right political spectrum.

Éric Zemmour, the controversial former French presidential candidate known for his anti-immigration rhetoric, also declared his intention to attend.

Additionally, Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, a nationalist figure, has been extended the same invitation.

Meloni's earlier interactions with Trump included a meeting at the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening in Paris and a recent visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

‘The idea [for the trip] came up in Paris and was an opportunity to confirm a very solid relationship,’ Meloni conveyed.

While speaking positively of her association with Trump, she acknowledged an ‘excellent relationship with [Joe] Biden,’ suggesting that shared conservative leadership could strengthen ties, offering ‘added value for Italy and the EU.’

Meloni noted that discussions with Trump were broad and not issue-specific.

However, The New York Times reported that Meloni prioritized the topic of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who returned to Italy following her release from an Iranian prison.

Meloni emphasized Sala's release as a success of collaborative diplomatic efforts between Italy, Iran, and the United States.

The press conference also included Meloni’s comments on Tesla founder Elon Musk’s recent criticisms of European leaders, including Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Meloni, who has maintained constructive relations with Musk since her ascent to power in October 2022, downplayed these statements as non-interfering.

‘The problem is when wealthy people use their resources to finance parties, associations, and political exponents all over the world to influence the political choices of nation states,’ she stated, defending Musk against allegations of interference.

Rumors suggest Italy is engaging in discussions with Musk's SpaceX to utilize the Starlink satellite system for secure governmental communications.

Meloni stated she has not directly engaged in these talks but reassured that such initiatives are guided by national interest and are currently exploratory without public alternatives.

Addressing Trump’s comments regarding the strategic interests in Greenland and the Panama Canal, Meloni opined these statements as diplomatic signals rather than territorial ambitions.

She specified, ‘I rule out that the US in the coming years will try to forcefully annex territories that interest them,’ highlighting these remarks as indicative of U.S. attentiveness to Chinese activities in those regions.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes
Thieves Steal Antonello da Messina Renaissance Masterpieces From Sicilian Museum
Better.com Founder Who Fired 900 Employees on Zoom Is Ousted as CEO
Italian Speed Camera Issues Nearly 32,000 Fines in 10 Weeks, Worth More Than €3 Million
AI Manager at San Francisco Store Recommends Firing Human Employee
Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy
Lake Powell Falls to Record Low, Threatening Water and Hydropower Supplies Across the American West
United States Retail Sales Post Sharpest Monthly Drop in More Than a Year
Senate Democrats Demand Intelligence Briefings After Reports of Secret Trump Evacuation in Turkey
Jared Kushner Meets Hamas Representatives in Egypt to Advance Gaza Peace Roadmap
United States and Canada Accelerate Talks to Avert Threat of Fifty Percent Tariffs
Trump Renews Effort to Remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook Despite Supreme Court Ruling
Senate Confirms Todd Blanche as United States Attorney General in Narrow Vote
Maine Senate Race Becomes Key Democratic Target Ahead of Midterms
Trump Advisers Urge Senate Republicans to Make Healthcare Central to Midterm Campaigns
White House Deputy National Security Adviser Andy Baker Announces Departure
U.S. Press Groups Sue Trump Over Paid Access to Truth Social Statements
Hamas Signals Possible Willingness to Demilitarize Gaza in Backchannel Talks
Trump Orders Pentagon to Scale Back Joint Military Exercises With South Korea
Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Clear Way for White House East Wing Expansion
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to Leave Administration at End of August
Ukraine Suspends Black Sea Drone Strikes After Request From U.S. Vice President Vance
Senate Democrats Seek Briefings on Reported Secret Trump Evacuation Over Iranian Threat
Trump Renews Push to Remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook Despite Supreme Court Ruling
Senate Confirms Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General After Narrow Confirmation Vote
United States Plans Ultimatum to Partners Over China’s Competing AI Framework
Markets Cut Expectations for Near-Term Federal Reserve Rate Hikes
China Tightens Grip on Rare Earth Supply as Prices Surge Ahead of Export Controls
Israel-Lebanon Clashes Threaten to Disrupt Regional Ceasefire Efforts
Ukraine Launches Major Long-Range Drone Assault on Moscow Region
Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Kills at Least 47 in Eastern Indonesia
French Tax Administration Investigates Cyberattack Affecting 678,000 Users
Former NBA Players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White Say They Will Enter 2027 WNBA Draft
Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Found Dead Days After Resigning Amid Plagiarism Row
US Appeals Court Rules AI Agent's Website Actions Are Legally Attributed to the User
France's Constitutional Council Blocks Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
Liechtenstein Changes Royal Succession Rules to Allow Women to Inherit the Throne
Women Allege Rape and Sexual Abuse at British Army College for Teenage Recruits
Minnesota: Two independent investigators posed as Muslims (one wearing a burqa) and showed how they could vote in elections without identification.
US Postal Service Advances Network Modernization to Improve Delivery Efficiency
US Crop Outlook Shows Stable Corn and Soybean Yields Across Midwest
National Endowment for the Arts Awards Grants to Cultural Organizations Across US
US Airlines Add International Routes as Transatlantic Travel Demand Stays Strong
Justice Department Seeks Stronger Antitrust Remedies in Major Technology Case
NIH Expands Funding for Emerging Infectious Disease Research
Federal Pell Grant Applications Rise After Education Department System Overhaul
EPA Finalizes Stricter Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks
Pentagon Awards Multibillion-Dollar Shipbuilding Contracts to Expand US Naval Fleet
US Regulators Open Safety Probe Into Automated Driver Assistance Systems
US Energy Department Funds Advanced Nuclear Reactor Research
×