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The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta, 83-14, to serve as the ambassador to Italy and San Marino.
Fertitta is the CEO of Landry’s — which includes restaurants, casinos and hotels — and the owner of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He also starred in the television show “Billion Dollar Buyer.”
During his April 1 confirmation hearing, Fertitta said he was focused on increasing trade between the United States and Italy, adding, “There is so much more that can be done.”
He said he wants to "close the gap" in the United States' trade deficit with Italy, partially through the Italian government working with American energy companies. The deficit, where the United States imports more goods from Italy than the country exports to Italy, was more than $43 billion in 2024 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Italy is “receptive” to doing more business with the United States, Fertitta said.
“They're very excited about having an American, true entrepreneur, come over there and work with them,” Fertitta said about his conversations with Italian officials.
In March, he told the State Department he will resign from various positions, including his roles with Landry’s and on the University of Houston System Board of Regents, upon his confirmation by the Senate. He will remain in his ownership position with the Houston Rockets, his letter to the department said, and will not participate in any situation that could interfere with the NBA or the team while serving as ambassador.
While introducing Fertitta during his Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. John Cornyn praised Fertitta as “one of the nation’s most prominent businessmen,” and as a voice in the Houston area – naming his donations to the University of Houston, his positions on various boards, and his work with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on reopening businesses after COVID-19 shutdowns.
“Tilman's realization of the American dream will serve him well as the voice for our nation's interests and as an advocate for a strong relationship between the United States and Italy,” Cornyn said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fertitta was outspoken about how his business empire was struggling due to restrictions in the United States and overseas. He was a member of Abbott’s task force to “reopen” Texas after lockdowns, which drew criticisms for being made up of business executives, not local elected officials. Fertitta also participated in a roundtable with Trump and other restaurateurs in May 2020 focused on what the industry needed to reopen following COVID-19 shutdowns.
Fertitta publicly supported Trump’s presidency in 2017, when he shared his optimism for the new president’s economic policies.
He is a prolific political donor, donating to mostly Republicans, including Trump and Abbott. Fertitta held a Houston fundraiser for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has closely aligned herself with Trump. The pair met at the White House earlier this month where Trump called Meloni a “friend,” and said she has “taken Europe by storm.”
San Marino is a microstate surrounded by Italy with a population of about 35,000 people.
Disclosure: University of Houston has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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