WEST PALM BEACH, Florida/ROME (Reuters) -Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise trip to Florida to meet with Donald Trump late on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to strengthen ties with the president-elect before his inauguration on Jan.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a whirlwind visit to Donald Trump at his Florida retreat on Saturday, as European leaders attempt to bolster ties with the incoming United States president.

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, officials from her office said on Friday, in a trip that should further strengthen her ties with the U.S. leader.

After forging unexpectedly fond ties with President Biden, Italy’s right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni is poised to leverage a more natural alliance with incoming President Trump that positions her as a key interlocutor between the U.

Lago, an invitation to Monday's inauguration and good relations with Elon Musk, Italy's Giorgia Meloni has positioned herself as the closest mainstream European leader to Donald Trump.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose rise to power in Rome two years ago sparked panic among the European political establishment, may now be the continent’s best hope to have one of its own in the good graces of the Trump White House.