President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday on Truth Social that he was nominating Houston hospitality billionaire Tilman Fertitta as the next U.S. ambassador to Italy.
“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. Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children’s charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community,” Trump wrote.
Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and the Landry’s restaurant empire, is a well-known political donor who hosted a fundraiser for Trump earlier this year at his high-end Post Oak Hotel in Houston. He’s also the longest-serving Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University of Houston.
Fertitta has donated millions to Texas politicians, primarily Republicans like Governor Greg Abbott.
With Sicilian roots, his family settled in Galveston, running the famed Balinese Room nightclub. According to Forbes, Fertitta now owns Golden Nugget Casinos and holds a stake in Wynn Resorts, with a net worth exceeding $10 billion,
His nomination requires Senate approval, succeeding Jack Markell as U.S. ambassador to Italy.
