Italy's Meloni pays surprise visit to Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an unofficial surprise visit to President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Florida residence, according to her office on Sunday.

Photos sent by the office of the far-right prime minister early Sunday showed Meloni and Trump posing at the entrance to Mar-a-Lago and chatting in a reception room, a Christmas tree visible in the background.

Her office provided no statement, nor did it respond to repeated requests for confirmation of the Saturday visit, which US media reported included a film screening and dinner.

Photos of the two conservative leaders side by side were on the front pages of all Italy's newspapers Sunday.

Meloni is one of several foreign leaders, including Canada's Justin Trudeau and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who have paid visits to Trump, who is due to be inaugurated for the second time on January 20.

The visit by Meloni, who heads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, comes ahead of a four-day visit to Rome by US President Joe Biden, where he is expected to meet with Meloni and, separately, Pope Francis.

Photographs of Meloni provided by her office also showed her shaking hands with Florida Senator Marco Rubio.