Joe Biden’s last trip as president of the United States will be to Italy. Between January 9 and 12, 2025, the current White House tenant will be in Rome, where he will meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, and Pope Francis.
As stated by spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden will “meet with Italy’s leaders to highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship, thank Prime Minister Meloni for her strong leadership of the G7 over the past year, and discuss important challenges facing the world.”
The president, a fervent Catholic, also plans to meet with Pope Francis on Jan. 10 to “discuss efforts to advance peace around the world.”
As stated by Politico, Biden’s visit also underscores the Italian premier’s growing status as one of Europe’s most influential leaders. The same U.S. media outlet, moreover, had only last week described Meloni as “the most powerful person” on the Old Continent.
The Prime Minister’s ties with the U.S. appear set to strengthen further with Donald Trump’s return to the White House. According to rumors reported by CNN last week, Meloni is expected to be present at Inauguration Day next Jan. 20, the day the MAGA leader will return to Washington DC to kick off his second term.
The two already had a chance to exchange a few words recently in Paris on the occasion of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. After the meeting in the French capital, the president-elect described Meloni as “a fantastic leader and person.”
For her part, however, the Italian premier, who over the years has also forged important ties with Elon Musk, the next secretary of the U.S. DOGE, called on EU leaders to “adopt an open approach with the new Trump administration.”
