Protests as Trump envoy Arrives in Venice on Super Yacht Diplomacy Tour

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Several hundred protesters marched against the arrival of the American ambassador's luxury yacht

Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 10:32 AM | 12 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

Donald Trump's ambassador to Italy, Texas-based billionaire businessman Tilman Fertitta, has triggered controversy with a two-month diplomatic outreach tour of Italian seaside towns on his private $450mn superyacht. ft.trib.al/aSLRT2b

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-- Financial Times (@financialtimes.com) 10:41 AM Â· Jul 17, 2026

Comments

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#1 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-07-18 06:49 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Plutocrats like idiot Tilman Fertitta are utterly tone deaf.

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-07-18 06:51 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Italian (and Greek) dockworkers successfully went on strike to stop arms shipments for Israel's genocidal campaign against the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza.

Mega-oligarchs are tone deaf, like the decapitated leaders of the Ancien Regime.

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-07-18 06:54 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

They ought to swim out there and block it

#4 | Posted by john_savage2 at 2026-07-21 12:16 PM | Reply

#1 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS

-everything's relative. To a 3rd worlder, you're rich...

#5 | Posted by john_savage2 at 2026-07-21 12:18 PM | Reply

" To a 3rd worlder, you're rich..."

Unless we get the same third world prices, your statement is silly.

#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-07-21 12:26 PM | Reply

"They ought to swim out there and block it"

Block it? Limpet.

#7 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-07-21 12:27 PM | Reply

What are they protesting, exactly?

That we frequently use wealthy individuals to serve as diplomats or is it just about this yacht?

If the same guy flys commercial are they going to protest because he's still a billionaire?

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2026-07-21 12:42 PM | Reply

What are they protesting, exactly?

Here's my take, they don't understand why, but

most left wing people in America are people with post graduate degrees who are financially strapped and the most right wing are people without 4 year college degrees who are rich.
~ ChrisHayes

x.com

This is known as elite over production.

#9 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-07-21 12:48 PM | Reply

Note that the owner of that superyacht, Tilman Fertitta, the US Ambassador to Italy, is our oldest son's boss. Fertitta is the sole owner of Landry's, one of the worlds largest dining, hospitality, entertainment and gaming organizations:

www.landrysinc.com

Our son has worked for the company since he was in high school (he's 56 years old), except for the four years he was serving in the US Army infantry, starting out as a grill chef and working his way up to his current position as the Concept Executive Chef, a VP-level position, responsible for one of Landry's many restaurant brands, McCormick & Schmicks Seafood & Steaks:

www.landrysinc.com

OCU

#10 | Posted by OCUser at 2026-07-21 01:01 PM | Reply

Why protesting?

Possibly because it's a conspicuous display of wealth by a smug oligarch representing a country in the grips of a rapacious regime that can't get enough of screwing other countries, waging war, and killing?

I mean, it's a start.

#11 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-07-21 01:05 PM | Reply

campaignlegal.org

I'm just saying....Trump is certainly doing this but he didn't invent the concept.

#12 | Posted by eberly at 2026-07-21 01:12 PM | Reply