Skip to content
Search
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

What We're Watching

Meloni joins Trump at Mar-a-Lago — with Europe’s economy on the line

​U.S. President-elect Donald Trump meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. January 4, 2025.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. January 4, 2025.

Italian Government/Handout via REUTERS
Matthew Kendrick
By Matthew KendrickJanuary 05, 2025
Matthew Kendrick
Matthew Kendrick is an Emmy-nominated journalist covering global affairs for GZERO Media. He speaks fluent Spanish with a mild Chilean accent thanks to growing up in the Atacama, advanced Mandarin thanks to his time in Harbin, and basic Korean thanks to his Fulbright award. Prior to GZERO, Matt was a producer for CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. When he's not reporting and writing, you can catch him doing yoga, struggling to teach himself Turkish, or (most likely) napping with his two cats.
See Full Bio
Make us preferred on Google

President-elect Donald Trump was full of praise for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her surprise visit to Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, calling her a “fantastic woman” who has “really taken Europe by storm.” The two caught a screening of a right-wing documentary and then had dinner. Meloni has a lot riding on making a good impression as Trump has threatened tariffs that would severely hamper Europe’s economic growth.

Neither side released details of what they discussed, but Meloni has been on a charm offensive since Trump won the US election. She also met with Trump at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral last month in Paris and has worked hard to establish a close relationship with key Trump ally Elon Musk. She has called Musk a personal “friend” and a “genius” who’s been wrongly maligned for supporting Trump – Musk even had to deny the two were in a romantic relationship in September.

The personal is political. Meloni has set herself up as a unique bridge between Brussels and Trumpworld, putting her in the driver’s seat as the European Union prepares to negotiate to buy more oil and gas from the United States, without which Trump has threatened “TARIFFS all the way!!!”

The problem? Europe already buys a ton of US hydrocarbons, so much so that industry experts don’t think the bloc can import more. We’re watching for other European leaders to give Meloni broad deference on her preferred migration policies so long as she can continue to play Trump-whisperer.

italyeuropean unionunited statestrumptariffsoil and gasgiorgia meloni

Latest Videos

Cuba on the brinkplay icon
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Cuba on the brink

The Strait of Hormuz helpline
Puppet Regime

The Strait of Hormuz helpline

Will Trump actually try to "take" Cuba?
Ian Explains

Will Trump actually try to "take" Cuba?

China plays the long game, Cuba faces mounting US pressure
ask ian

China plays the long game, Cuba faces mounting US pressure

The teen girl tapped to rule North Korea next
GZERO World Clips

The teen girl tapped to rule North Korea next

Taiwan and the Trump-Xi summit
ask ian

Taiwan and the Trump-Xi summit

More For You

Colombia’s Petro to finally meet Venezuela’s Rodríguez, Iran’s foreign minister wants more talks, The US reportedly mulls gift for Argentina

​Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez attends a meeting with Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez and Colombia's Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 13, 2026.

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez attends a meeting with Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez and Colombia's Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio after a planned meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Rodriguez was postponed, at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 13, 2026.

REUTERS/Gaby Oraa
First Colombia-Venezuela summit since Maduro’s ousterColombian President Gustavo Petro meets in Caracas today with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, their first encounter since the US deposed Rodríguez’s former boss, Nicolás Maduro, and effectively installed Rodríguez as a viceroy. Petro, a left-winger who has clashed repeatedly with [...]

US expands its blockade, Argentina’s Milei seeks electoral reforms, EU finally greenlights massive loan to Ukraine

​A view of Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska from USS Spruance (DDG 111) in a location given as the north Arabian Sea, in this screen capture from a video released on April 19, 2026.

A view of Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska as USS Spruance (DDG 111) conducts its interception in a location given as the north Arabian Sea, in this screen capture from a video released on April 19, 2026.

CENTCOM/Handout via REUTERS
Washington’s blockade expands to AsiaThe US Navy isn’t just intercepting Iranian-linked ships outside the Strait of Hormuz. In recent days, it redirected a trio of ships that were passing in Asian waters, per Reuters. One of the ships was reportedly carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian oil, and had been scheduled to discharge the crude in India. [...]

US extends Iran ceasefire, Ukraine explores Donbas name change, Evidence emerges of possible UAE support for Sudanese rebels

​US President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on April 21, 2026.

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to NCAA Collegiate National Champions in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on April 21, 2026.

REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
US extends ceasefire, but also blockadePresident Donald Trump announced on social media on Tuesday that he was extending the ceasefire with Iran until their leaders “can come up with a unified proposal.” He did not provide a deadline, though, and it remains unclear how and when this impasse over ending the war will end. The US leader added that [...]

Japan loosens arms export restrictions, Hungary’s Magyar shows nationalist streak, Trump looks for new friends in Europe

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the National Diet in Tokyo on April 17, 2026.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives at Lower House's cabinet committee session to discuss about the bill to establish National Intelligence Coiuncil at the National Diet in Tokyo on April 17, 2026.

Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO
Pacifists no more? Japan lifts arms-sales limitsTokyo announced on Tuesday that it will remove restrictions on arms exports to countries with which it already has defense agreements, including the US, the United Kingdom, other NATO members, and the Philippines. Japan’s arms exports had previously been restricted to defense-only equipment, but now [...]