Italian Prime Minister Visits Mar-a-Lago, U.S.'Trump connections' highlighted in Europe

Italian Prime Minister Jorja Meloni, who has been drawing attention as a "Trump connection" in Europe, has headed to the United States to meet President-elect Donald Trump, Reuters and the New York Times (NYT) said.

Foreign media quoted sources as saying that Meloni will meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort for informal talks.

"We don't discuss meetings that may or may not happen," said Stephen Chung, Trump's public affairs director, in response. "It's not surprising that world leaders are trying to contact Trump after his historic victory to improve relations with the United States."

While the Italian prime minister's office has not responded, if Trump and Meloni meet in Mar-a-Lago, this comes at a time when an Italian journalist is detained in Iran, raising the possibility that the issue will be on the agenda for informal talks.

Some in the Italian media are predicting that Meloni's visit to Florida could be an opportunity to deal with Salah's detention.

Cecilia Salah, a journalist and host of a popular podcast for the Italian daily Ilfolio, was arrested in Tehran, Iran, on charges of violating press laws on the 19th of last month and imprisoned in solitary confinement at Evin Prison in northern Tehran.

Italy's foreign ministry summoned Iran's ambassador to Rome and demanded Salah's immediate release, but he remains jailed.The detention of

Sala comes three days after Iranian businessman Mohammed Abedini was arrested at the Milan airport in Italy.

Abedini was accused of providing drone parts in connection with a drone attack in Jordan in 2023 that killed three U.S. soldiers.

Abedini is currently being held in a detention center and Italian judges are considering extradition requests against him.