by InTrieste
President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he intends to nominate Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire businessman and owner of the Houston Rockets basketball team, as the next U.S. ambassador to Italy.
Fertitta, 67, is a prominent figure in the hospitality and entertainment industries. He owns Landry’s, a conglomerate operating over 600 restaurants, hotels, and casinos across the United States. He also gained recognition as the host of the CNBC reality television show Billion Dollar Buyer.
“Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our country’s premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump also praised Fertitta’s philanthropic contributions, highlighting his support for children’s charities, law enforcement initiatives, and the medical community.
If confirmed, Fertitta would replace Jack Markell, the former governor of Delaware, who has served as the U.S. ambassador to Italy for the past year and a half. Markell was appointed by outgoing President Joe Biden.
Fertitta’s nomination marks the latest in a series of high-profile appointments by Trump as he prepares to take office in January.
