U.S. “Liberty 250” Celebrations Continue in Italy
U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta is using his superyacht to conduct a "Freedom 250" celebration along the Italian coast, engaging in what he calls "coastal diplomacy." Despite encountering protests from local residents during his journey and needing to smooth over diplomatic friction caused by remarks from leaders of both countries, the Ambassador remains optimistic about the strength of U.S.-Italy relations and bilateral cooperation in trade and military affairs.
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If you were an ambassador abroad, how would you commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence? What if your host country is largely surrounded by water, and you have both the means and a superyacht of your own? For U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta, the solution was obvious.
Everyone says, why not hold it on a train, or why not in a car? Do you think if I drove to a hotel in the city center, everyone would come? Probably not. And I have seen places that no previous ambassador has ever visited. We met Ambassador Fertitta at one of the country's largest ports, located in Ravenna on the east coast.
Ravenna is famous for its fifth-century mosaics and its significant maritime industry. For what the embassy calls coastal diplomacy, this is undoubtedly an ideal stop. It’s even better than I imagined, and from Calabria to Pescara, and all the other places I’ve visited, people everywhere have been very appreciative. Sometimes I can visit three different towns in a day, which I definitely couldn't do if I were driving; in short, this experience is fantastic.
Tilman Fertitta's family roots are in Sicily, and he was invited by President Donald Trump to take the position last year. The Texas-born billionaire has built a business empire spanning hospitality, dining, sports, and entertainment, which allows him to fund this tour himself.
However, the journey has not been entirely smooth. During a stop in Venice, hundreds of local residents critical of U.S. foreign policy demanded that Fertitta leave. Furthermore, he has had to maintain U.S.-Italy relations after President Trump made critical remarks about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which caused dissatisfaction in Rome.
Our President has a sense of humor, and sometimes people forget that he is actually very funny. If you follow his posts on Truth Social every day, you can see it. So, Italian friends, sometimes you don't have to take things so personally, because the President loves Italy. The Ambassador insists that U.S.-Italy relations remain strong and appreciates the hard work put in behind the scenes by officials from both countries to improve bilateral ties.
From a political perspective, various agreements are being reached almost every day, in incredible numbers. Additionally, both sides are doing incredible work in law enforcement training, military exercises, and cooperation between diplomatic and commercial sectors to promote trade between the two nations.
As for how he views the transition from businessman to diplomat, he has now been in office for 15 months. It’s like another deal you’re handling; regardless of what kind of deal you’re closing, I am a person who is good at closing deals, and you must possess the qualities of a diplomat. You need to win the support of all parties, just as you would when handling various mergers and acquisitions; this is basically doing the same thing in a different form.
I don't want to just call it another deal, because serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy is the most enjoyable experience of all the positions I have held, but this is indeed what being a diplomat is. This superyacht will eventually visit the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, bringing this unique diplomatic voyage to a successful conclusion.