Axios - Europe: Populists unite in Washington
Trump and Conte arrive for their press conference. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump hosted Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte today at the White House, noting with a smile during their joint press conference that he's closer ideologically to Conte than other G7 leaders.
Why it matters: Italy's two-month-old populist government is skeptical of both the Euro and the EU, and spoiling for a fight on immigration and trade. Trump's sympathies fall more with Rome than with Brussels or Berlin.
Another area of overlap is Russia. "We do believe Russia plays a fundamental role in all international, geopolitical crises," Conte said today, echoing Trump. "If we want to solve problems, we cannot choose the counterparts to deal with.”
Worth noting: Interior minister Matteo Salvini, central to the coalition as leader of the far-right League party, is often compared to Trump. He quoted Benito Mussolini yesterday on the former fascist dictator's birthday. Trump could have told him that would be controversial, because he did virtually the same thing during the 2016 campaign ("I want to be associated with interesting quotes," Trump said at the time).
The headline from today's visit had nothing to do with Italy, though. Trump said during the press conference that he'd be willing to meet with Iran's leaders "any time they want."
Between the lines: The Trump administration has emphasized destabilization and delegitimization when it comes to Iran, encouraging Iranians to pile pressure on their government and hinting at support for regime change. But Trump says he's also open to negotiation with President Hassan Rouhani, who has reportedly turned down meetings in the past.