WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) -Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise trip to Florida to meet with Donald Trump late on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to buttress ties with the president-elect before his inauguration on Jan.

President-elect Donald Trump made an appearance with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was visiting his Mar-a-Lago club.

US President-elect Donald Trump hosted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for talks at his Florida base, the latest sign of the two leaders’ deepening bond and the Italian’s leveraging of her hard-right credentials to position Rome for the incoming administration.