Vance attends Olympic skating, then meets with Italian Prime Minister Meloni

Vice President JD Vance met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Milan on Friday, as part of a weeklong trip combining Olympic attendance with diplomatic engagements. The hour-long meeting highlighted one of the Trump administration’s closer European alliances amid increasing tensions between the United States and traditional European partners.

The face-to-face discussion at the Prefettura di Milano, a historic palace now serving as a municipal building, was followed by a closed-door lunch. During the brief moments open to the press, Meloni spoke warmly of the bilateral relationship, while Vance responded with light humor about language barriers from his previous visit to Italy in May.

“I’m happy to have you here to have the occasion to talk about our wonderful bilateral relation,” Meloni said, adding they would discuss various cooperation topics. She specifically mentioned the Olympics as representing “values that keep together Italy and the U.S.” and “western civilization.”

According to a statement released by Vance’s office, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations between the nations, Olympic matters, and mutual efforts to improve business and investment conditions. Following their formal meeting, they made a private visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera art museum.

Meloni has cultivated a notably close relationship with President Donald Trump, having visited him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in early January 2025, even before his second term officially began. During that visit, Trump praised Meloni as a “fantastic woman,” setting the tone for continued warm relations between the leaders.

However, signs of potential friction have emerged recently. Meloni has aligned herself with other major U.S. European allies in opposing Trump’s controversial push to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous territory belonging to NATO member Denmark. This stance suggests potential limits to the alignment between Rome and Washington under the current administration.

The diplomatic meeting occurred amid a broader context of strain between the Trump administration and European allies. Trump’s approach to foreign policy has significantly disrupted the rules-based international order that has underpinned U.S. relations with Europe since World War II, causing considerable concern among traditional partners.

Vance’s Olympic itinerary began at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, where he watched the opening session of the team figure skating competition accompanied by his family and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta also briefly joined the vice president, noting the logistical challenges created by Olympic security measures.

Later that evening, Vance attended the opening ceremony alongside his wife, Usha, who was seated next to former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. While American athletes received enthusiastic cheers during their entrance, the crowd’s reaction to Vance’s image on the venue screens was markedly different—boos echoed through the stadium, providing a visible demonstration of European sentiment toward the current U.S. administration.

During the brief press availability, neither Vance nor Secretary Rubio responded to questions about ongoing U.S.-Iran discussions, keeping the public remarks focused on the Olympic spirit.

“In the spirit of the Olympics friendship, competition—competition based on rules—and just coming together around shared values, we’re very, very thrilled to be here,” Vance told Meloni, adding that he had been excited about attending the Milan Olympics “pretty much since I became vice president.”

The vice president’s combination of sports diplomacy and high-level meetings reflects the administration’s efforts to maintain key European relationships while navigating a complex diplomatic landscape that has been reshaped by President Trump’s unconventional approach to international relations.