Washington [US]: US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence in striking a trade deal with the European Union (EU) before the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs concludes.
Trump made the statement during a bilateral lunch with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday. Addressing reporters, he stated:
“There’ll be a trade deal. 100 per cent. Why you think there won’t be? Of course, there’ll be a trade deal.”
“They want to make one very, very much. We’re gonna make a trade deal. I fully expect it, but it will be a fair deal.”
Trump had previously announced the pause on reciprocal tariffs on over 75 countries, including the EU and India, citing that these countries had agreed to engage in trade negotiations with the United States. In response, the EU agreed to suspend retaliatory tariffs for 90 days to allow time for further discussions.
During a joint press briefing with Trump, Prime Minister Meloni underscored the importance of transatlantic trade:
“That shows how interconnected our economies are, and that’s very important, not just about Italy but about the entire Europe. The exchange between us is a very big one, these are the topics we discussed.”
Meloni also confirmed that Trump has accepted an official invitation to visit Rome in the “near future.”
“The goal for me is to make the West great again, and I think we can do it together,”
Meloni said, emphasizing the significance of US-EU cooperation.
Regarding broader trade negotiations, Trump added:
“Everybody wants to make a deal, and if they don’t want to make a deal, we’ll make the deal for them.”