Trump says there will ‘100%’ be EU tariff deal

US President Donald Trump has said there will “100%” be a deal with the European Union on tariffs.

Speaking during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Mr Trump also said he was confident he could make a “very good” deal on trade with China, with whom his administration is locked in a war of sky-high reciprocal tariffs.

Both Mr Trump and Ms Meloni expressed optimism that an EU-US trade deal could be worked out over the Republican’s market-shaking tariffs.

Before a working lunch at the White House, Mr Trump told reporters there would “100%” be a deal, while Ms Meloni said she was “sure” an agreement could be reached, and reaffirmed that the United States is a “reliable partner” despite its tariffs move.

Mr Trump said that he expects progress toward trade deals but is in no rush, adding that he expects substantial baseline tariffs on imported goods.

Ms Meloni added that she would invite Mr Trump for an official visit to Italy and hopes to organise a meeting with other European leaders at that time.

Read more: China says it will ignore US ‘tariff numbers game’

Senior US officials said Ms Meloni and Mr Trump had a “very special relationship,” adding she could be a bridge for a deal on tariffs between Europe and Washington.

“Hopefully the Prime Minister and the President will be able to advance the ball down the field,” one Trump administration official told reporters ahead of their meeting.

“We’re open, we’re available, we’re ready to make deals for countries that take this seriously. So hopefully Italy and the EU are part of that.”

Ms Meloni has looked to maintain ties with the mercurial leader despite the chaos caused by his tariffs.

She has criticised as “wrong” his 20% duties on EU exports, which he later suspended for 90 days.

Amid the uncertainty, Ms Meloni has called for cool heads, urging Brussels not to retaliate while casting herself as the only EU figure able to potentially de-escalate the conflict.

Ms Meloni was the only European leader to be invited to Mr Trump’s 20 January inauguration and US officials said she was “eye-to-eye with President on a lot of issues like immigration on Ukraine.”

‘Zero for zero’

Ms Meloni has previously said the goal should be to eliminate so-called reciprocal duties on existing industrial products as part of a “zero for zero” formula, as floated by the European Commission earlier this month.

Ms Meloni’s decision to personally intercede with Mr Trump has caused some disquiet among EU allies, concerned her visit could undermine the unity of the bloc.

“If we start having bilateral discussions, obviously it will break the current dynamic,” France’s Industry Minister Marc Ferracci warned last week.

A European Commission spokeswoman said that while the EU alone could negotiate trade agreements, Ms Meloni’s “outreach is very welcome” and was coordinated with Brussels.

Following her meeting with Mr Trump, Ms Meloni will fly back to Rome tomorrow in time to host Mr Vance, with whom she has a meeting planned.

Mr Trump’s threatened tariffs could have a major impact on Italy, the world’s fourth-largest exporter, which sends around ten percent of its exports to the United States.

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