Trump’s Billionaire Ambassador Rankles Venetians With Superyacht Diplomacy Tour

A goodwill tour by America’s ambassador to Italy prompted something less edifying when Tilman Fertitta arrived in Venice on Friday aboard his $450 million superyacht, the Boardwalk, to a wave of protests and political controversy. The visit is part of a two-month “Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour” marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, But for many Italians, the spectacle has raised uncomfortable questions about wealth, diplomacy, and U.S.-Italy relations.Mr. Fertitta, a billionaire hospitality mogul appointed by President Trump, is taking his 385-foot vessel to more than a dozen Italian coastal cities, including Palermo, Genoa, and Trieste. The yacht — which features two helipads, a pair of swimming pools, and a fully equipped spa — serves as a floating venue for meetings with politicians, business leaders, and military officials along the way.The tour is intended to celebrate “our shared history, our economic partnership, and the cultural bonds that make the U.S.-Italy relationship so special,” Mr. Fertitta wrote in a social media post. His family’s roots trace back to the Sicilian town of Cefalù, which was among his early stops.But in Venice, the reception was anything but warm. Some 300 protesters gathered near the Riva dei Sette Martiri — where the gleaming white yacht docked half a mile from St. Mark’s Square — holding signs reading “Fertitta must go” and “Make America go away.” Police prevented demonstrators from approaching the vessel, and minor scuffles broke out.Protest organizers say Mr. Fertitta’s visit is emblematic of a broader problem. “It’s a very weird way to do diplomacy,” said researcher and activist Stella Faye, according to the Financial Times. “It’s very emblematic of the political model that Trump is trying to build joining political and economic power.”Others framed the controversy in economic terms. “It is the umpteenth slap in the face of a city and all of the people in Venice who struggle to reach the end of the month due to an increase in prices caused by Trump’s war,” organizer Stella Morion told the Associated Press, referring to U.S. strikes on Iran.Adding fuel to the fire is the significant Italian state security operation protecting the ambassador. Lawmaker Luana Zanella of the Green Left Alliance condemned the tour in parliament, calling it a “diplomatic vacation” funded by the cash-strapped Italian state. “This display of opulence is not right,” she told the FT.Italy’s vice minister for business, Valentino Valentini, defended the security arrangements, citing obligations under the Vienna Convention. Mr. Fertitta, he noted, had been classified as a high-risk target requiring “first-level exceptional protection” at all times.The visit comes amid a notable strain in U.S.-Italy relations. Mr. Trump has made a series of social media attacks against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni since her government refused to allow bases on its territory to be used in the war on Iran. The two clashed publicly over Mr. Trump’s claim she “begged” for a photo together at the G7 summit — an allegation she firmly denied. Mr. Fertitta has sought to downplay the tension, insisting Mr. Trump and Ms. Meloni share a strong personal rapport.Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, offered a more measured assessment, telling the FT that Mr. Fertitta is playing an important role as an intermediary and has been responding to Rome’s concerns in an “active, sensitive, and, above all, consistently positive manner.”Mr. Fertitta and the U.S. Embassy have not publicly responded to the criticisms.

Trump’s Billionaire Ambassador Rankles Venetians With Superyacht Diplomacy Tour

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