President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giuesppe Conte held a joint press conference Monday at the White House.
The pair was asked about their respective economies. Trump was asked about the robust economic growth of the American economy as it relates to European trade and tariffs and the relative sputtering growth Italy has experienced in recent years.
Trump reiterated that he want’s Europe to “treat us fairly.” “It’s been a one-way street. The European union has taken advantage of the United States. We can’t let it happen,” Trump said.
The PM of Italy did not hold back on his envy of the American economy. “I’m envious of the records and the growth figures of the American economy,” Conte said, “But I’m envious and ambitious at the same time. As a government leader, I’m ambitious for my economy to do a lot much more than what was done in the past.”
Conte then took direct aim at one of the biggest accomplishments of the Trump administration: the tax cuts. Conte said Trump’s tax reform is the “leverage for economic growth in [America]” and repeating again that tax cuts were the “leverage” for Trump’s booming economy.
Multiple national Democrats have attacked the Trump tax cuts for not helping the economy. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has called the tax cuts “crumbs” on multiple occasions, and California Rep. Maxine Waters has threatened to repeal them if Democrats take Congress in the midterm.
“We’re trying to eliminate regulations and corruption pockets,” Conte said, echoing Trump, “These are all the reforms that we consider to be a positive element to represent economic leverage for our country that can reach the growth.”
Trump chimed in, saying, “One of the biggest things that we’ve done, the massive tax cuts, but maybe equal, too, would be the tremendous cuts in regulations. I know Italy well. They have a lot of regulation. I have no doubt the prime minister Giuesppe will be working very hard on that.”
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