Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed strong confidence that a new trade agreement with the European Union will be reached before a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs expires.
“There’ll be a trade deal. One hundred percent,” Trump told reporters during a bilateral lunch with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House. “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,” he added, according to CNN.
Trump has temporarily suspended the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on over 75 countries, including key partners such as the EU and India. The decision, he said, was made after those countries agreed to participate in trade discussions with Washington.
The EU has reciprocated by halting its retaliatory tariffs for the same 90-day period, allowing space for both sides to negotiate a potential agreement.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Meloni underscored the importance of strong transatlantic economic ties.
“That shows how interconnected our economies are, and that’s very important—not just about Italy but about the entire Europe,” she said. “The exchange between us is a very big one. These are the topics we discussed.”
Meloni also announced that Trump had accepted her formal 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,” she said.
Commenting on broader trade negotiations, Trump insisted the U.S. remains in a strong position. “Everybody wants to make a deal,” he said. “And if they don’t want to make a deal, we’ll make the deal for them.”
