The morning newspapers extensively covered Trump's endorsement of Vance's comments describing Europeans as "parasites," with security advisor Waltz admitting responsibility for adding a journalist to a classified Pentagon chat. By mid-day, Justice Minister Nordio survived a no-confidence vote over the Almasri case, comparing opposition accusations to "Inquisition" tactics. Italy's economic vulnerabilities emerged with reports of 23.1% of the population at risk of poverty and €1.865 trillion in tax debts.
Following a high-level Ukraine strategy meeting at Palazzo Chigi, the government explicitly ruled out any Italian military participation in Ukraine. An explosion at the Perfetti candy factory in Milan sent a high column of smoke visible for kilometers.
The evening was dominated by Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on all non-US produced automobiles effective April 2, sending European markets tumbling and prompting "profound regret" from von der Leyen.
