President Obama spoke by phone today with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy to congratulate him on his new office and to reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds that the United States and Italy share.  The President expressed support for Prime Minister Renzi’s leadership on creating economic growth and jobs, and he looks forward to continued close U.S.-Italian partnership on Afghanistan, Libya, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and security and defense cooperation.  Both leaders welcomed their March meeting in Rome as an opportunity to build deeper bilateral cooperation on these and other matters of mutual interest.