Giorgia Meloni’s love-in with Donald Trump confidant Elon Musk looks like it might be paying off, with reports suggesting that her government is poised to sign a $1.56 billion telecommunications deal with Musk’s SpaceX.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended Elon Musk's growing involvement in politics on Thursday and said she had never discussed with him a potential deal to supply secure communications to Italy.

PM says her relationship with U.S. president-elect is “very solid” and insists his recent incendiary remarks flow from a “peace-through-strength” approach.

Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni said her government is in talks with private companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, over the country’s telecoms security system, but denied having discussed the issue

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday she had never discussed with Elon Musk a potential deal to use his Starlink to supply secure communications for the military. Meloni, who has a good relationship with Musk,

Musk's Italy representative Stroppa said in his post that the deal would save Italy more than €8 billion and would be up and running in a few months, rather than the eight to 10 years it would take competitors. Stroppa is one of the people named in an Italian probe of alleged corruption in public procurement contracts, Reuters reported last year.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy is in preliminary talks with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide secure communications for the government.

Handing control of Italy’s military satellite communications to the U.S. tech tycoon has prompted sharp criticism in Italy from opposition politicians.