Tactile Biden reaches out to smiling Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — months after saying her election win was bad for democracy, she told her: ‘I hope you’ll be nice to me’
- Biden welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the White House
- He told stories of winning the Italian society’s man of the year award
President Joe Biden reached out and touched Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office on Thursday, buttering his visitor with a decades-old story about growing up with Italian-Americans.
“I hope you’ll be nice to me,” Biden said at the start of their meeting, after talking about Italy’s role in taking over the helm of the G7 next year. Biden celebrated US-Italy ties with the right-wing leader, who nevertheless joins US and European allies in opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden called for “deepening the economic bond” between the two countries in areas such as space exploration.
He even credited her for concerns about migration that have made the far-right leader part of her persona. Meloni has called for a naval blockade amid a flood of African migrants seeking better prospects in southern Europe.
Biden mentioned Mediterranean countries and the “legitimate migration challenges you have from Africa.”
‘Be nice to me’: President Joe Biden welcomed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the White House. He told her he was embarrassed growing up that his name didn’t end in an ‘O’ but that an Italian association gave him an award
For her part, Meloni, 46, said she was “very happy to be here” and cited the “common values and cultural roots” between the two countries. “We know who our friends are in difficult times,” she said.
“I want you to know that I grew up in a neighborhood where I wasn’t aware my name didn’t end in ‘O,'” Biden, 80, said.
And I want you to know that I am the only non-Italian named Man of the Year by the Italian Society,” he said of the award. “I deserve this award,” he said, after going through all the Italian names from his area, while his guest chuckled.
Biden praised Italy’s support for Ukraine at the Oval Office meeting
Biden shared stories of growing up with Italian-Americans in Scranton
Meloni watches as she is welcomed by US President Joe Biden into the Oval Office
Biden answered questions about his son Hunter at the end of the event
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke of his own Italian roots as he welcomed Meloni
Meloni began her day at the Capitol, meeting with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
‘I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid. I married Dominic Giacoppa’s granddaughter,” he said. “I want you to know that, okay? Be nice to me.
The warm encounter came just months after Biden appeared to cite the Italian election that brought Meloni to power as a warning sign in comments to a fundraiser.
He said China had argued that democracies are not sustainable in the 21st century,” and then told his guests, “You just saw what happened in those elections in Italy.”
Now Italy’s support for NATO’s efforts to arm and boost Ukraine in its war against Russia keeps Italy within the fold.
She previously met House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who spoke of his own Italian-American roots. His mother Roberta’s maiden name is Palladino.