Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, said on Wednesday that tariffs introduced by the Donald Trump administration were “wrong” and would not benefit the United States
Meloni is seen as close to Trump, but is unhappy with his seeming trade war.
“We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the goal of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players,” she said in a statement on Facebook.
“In any case, as always, we will act in the interest of Italy and its economy, also engaging with other European partners,” she added.
The tariffs Trump announced will range from 10% to 49% on a country-by-country basis, according to a handout provided to reporters listing tariffs on 25 countries.
Trump said the level of tariffs that the U.S. will charge on imports from those countries was determined by calculating the level of tariffs and trade barriers those countries have in place on US-made products.
Cambodia had the highest tariff rate of 49%, followed by a 46% tariff on goods coming to the U.S. from Vietnam. The European Union faces a 20% tariff and China would have an additional tariff of 34%.