Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is defending her friendship with U.S. tech billionaire and Trump advisor Elon Musk. She told Italian lawmakers Wednesday that she would not be influenced in areas where he has economic interests. Meloni added that she has good relationships “with many people" but doesn't "take orders from anyone.” Meloni has met frequently with the Tesla and Space X billionaire since her far-right-led government came to power in 2022. Meloni’s government this summer approved a framework for foreign space companies to operate in Italy, which is expected to generate 7.3 billion euros ($7.7 billion) in investments by 2026.
