Currently the European Union has three months to convince Trump not to slap 20 per cent duties on all its exports to the United States, apart from the baseline 10 per cent tariff with another 25 per cent on steel,

EU leaders hope the Italian PM can convey their trade concerns to the U.S. president when she visits Washington.

"There will be a trade deal 100%," Trump said ahead of a luncheon at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "I fully expect it."