Who is Giorgia Meloni? Trump hosts Italian PM at Mar-a-Lago

President-elect Trump is playing host to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, suggesting he plans to develop a warmer relationship with one of his closest ideological allies in Europe.

Meloni is the first female Italian prime minister, and she has served as leader of the Brothers of Italy party since 2014. Both she and her party surged in popularity thanks to backlash against how the Italian government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meloni's coalition government is likely the closest ideological ally Trump has within the European Union. Meloni has also developed a close relationship with top Trump ally Elon Musk, who has frequented Mar-a-Lago since Election Day.

Similar to the U.S., Italy faces a major illegal immigration problem with migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to their shores. Meloni's "return hubs" policy ensures that migrants are not released into Italy during their asylum process, a program she says has become a "model" for Europe.

"It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit," she said of the program in October.

Meloni has also proven to go against the grain on social issues, moving last year to limit parental rights for same-sex couples. The policy ensures that only the biological parent of a child within a same-sex marriage enjoys full parental rights.

All this places Meloni in a natural position to serve as a go-between for the Trump administration and the European Union over the next four years.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump's nominee for secretary of state, was also in attendance when Meloni visited Trump's Florida residence this weekend.