Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire U.S. ambassador dividing Italy with his $450 million yacht

Tilman Fertitta’s unofficial U.S. embassy in Italy is a 117-metre megayacht worth $450 million. The Texas billionaire and ambassador spent the summer sailing around the country on what he called a “Coastal Diplomacy Tour,” turning an ostentatious display of wealth into a source of controversy.

His appointment, Le Figaro writes, reflects diplomacy in the Trump era. Like Donald Trump, who regularly leaves the Oval Office for his luxury residence at Mar-a-Lago, Fertitta has not confined himself to the office provided for him.

After taking up his post in spring 2025, Fertitta paid $2 million to renovate Villa Taverna, the United States’ official residence in Rome. The refurbishment did little to settle the restlessness of a man Forbes ranks 109th among the world’s richest Americans, with an estimated fortune of $11 billion.

Since June, the Boardwalk has served as the setting for his diplomatic journey along Italy’s coast. The article presents the cruise as a mission with a diplomatic purpose, but one whose conspicuous wealth has provoked criticism. The published excerpt ends as the account of the tour begins.