As Prime Minister Meloni prepares to discuss tariffs with President Trump in Washington, factors form a strategic lever in Italy’s broader economic and diplomatic strategy. For example, Italy is witnessing a significant trade and investment imbalance with the United States, as Italian companies invest far more in the US than vice versa, and American-managed European savings play a key role.

Recent analysis shows that Italian companies invest significantly more in the USA than American companies invest in Italy. Moreover, European savings—fuelled largely by American financial firms—are also crucial to this economic equation. The latest figures by the Bank of Italy reveal that, in 2023, Italian direct foreign investments in the United States reached €3.5 billion, boosting the stock to €65 billion.