WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump’s meeting with Italy’s Giuseppe Conte (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
President Donald Trump is praising Italy’s new premier for his handling of immigration issues and says the two leaders will discuss trade and the military.
Trump says at the start of his meeting with Italy’s Giuseppe Conte at the White House that Italy “has taken a very firm stance on the border.” Trump says other European countries should follow Italy’s lead on migration issues.
Under Conte’s new government, Italy has pushed for the European Union to accept tens of thousands of migrants coming across the Mediterranean Sea every year.
Trump is noting the U.S. trade deficit with Italy and says he’s sure “we’ll straighten that out pretty quickly.”
Conte thanked Trump for his “warm hospitality.” In response, Trump told him “you’ll always be treated warmly.”
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11:54 a.m.
President Donald Trump is meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the White House as the U.S. is kicking off new trade talks with the European Union.
Trump will welcome Conte to the Oval Office for the Italian prime minister’s first trip to Washington since he took over the country’s new populist government.
Trump and EU officials averted escalating a trade dispute last week and are expected to start negotiations aimed at avoiding tariffs on automobiles and removing trade barriers.
Conte leads the euroskeptic coalition of the 5-Star Movement, which considers itself anti-establishment, and the right-wing, north-based League party.
The White House has noted that Italy is an important NATO ally and a key partner to U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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