“Coastal Diplomacy” Tour Spans Over 10 Cities for Two Months
Security Costs Spark Controversy Amid Speculation Italy Is Footing the Bill
Tillman Fertitta, the U.S. Ambassador to Italy and a billionaire businessman known as a close associate of U.S. President Donald Trump, has sparked controversy as he continues a luxury yacht tour of Italian coastal cities for a second month.
A luxury yacht touring the Italian coast with Tilman Fertitta, U.S. Ambassador to Italy, on board. Photo by AP Yonhap News.
According to reports from foreign media including AP on the 18th (local time), Ambassador Fertitta has been traveling Italian coastal cities aboard his 450 million dollar (about 670 billion won) superyacht, ‘Boardwalk,’ which he owns, since last month. In connection with the 250th anniversary of American independence, Fertitta has visited more than 10 cities—including Palermo, Venice, and Genoa—claiming the tour is to celebrate the “shared history, economic partnership, and cultural ties” that make relations between the United States and Italy special. Throughout the trip, he has invited politicians, businesspeople, and military officials aboard his yacht, which features amenities such as a swimming pool and mini-golf course.
The U.S. Embassy in Rome stated, “Ambassador Fertitta intends to personally cover the expenses for this diplomatic tour, and it is expected to provide direct engagement opportunities with the Italian public.”
However, it is estimated that Italy is spending a considerable amount of money to provide security for his yacht as it travels through coastal cities. Italian authorities have not disclosed the total security costs incurred so far, but explained, “Under the Vienna Convention, Italy is obligated to ensure the safety of foreign ambassadors, which may include special security arrangements if necessary.” In response, Luana Zanella, a lawmaker from the Green-Left Alliance, stated in parliament, “Ambassador Fertitta’s actions amount to a ‘diplomatic vacation’ that transfers costs onto cash-strapped Italy.”
Venetian protesters gathered in front of Ambassador Putitta’s yacht. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Upon arriving in Venice on the day of reporting, Ambassador Fertitta’s yacht was met by a group of protesters made up of local residents. Stella Faye, an organizer of the protest, criticized, “This is a highly peculiar approach to carrying out diplomacy,” and added, “It symbolically represents the political model Trump is attempting to create—one that merges political and economic power.” She further remarked, “Because of the inflation caused by Trump’s wars, citizens of Venice are already struggling to make it through the month, and now they are subjected to this additional insult.”
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Meanwhile, Ambassador Fertitta is not a career diplomat but a billionaire entrepreneur involved in restaurants, hotels, and casinos. During his second term in office, President Trump has preferred appointing businesspeople, major donors, and personal associates to ambassador positions over career diplomats.
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