Board of Regents Chairman Tilman Fertitta at Scholz Garden in 2017. | Jasmine Davis/The Cougar
UH’s Board of Regents chairman and billionaire Tilman Fertitta is expected to be President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for United States ambassador to Italy, according to an article and CBS news senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs.
Fertitta is a long-time friend of Trump and the Grand Old Party’s donor. He’s the Chief Executive Officer of hospitality group Landry’s, Inc., a Texas-based corporation with hotels, restaurants and casinos, and the owner of the Houston Rockets.
Fertitta donated $420,000 to political action committees supporting Trump’s 2024 election campaign, according to reports.
He has hosted a number of fundraisers for Trump at his luxurious and famous Post Oak Hotel in Houston.
Previously, he also engaged in roundtable Washington discussions with Trump and members of his administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also joined Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for a Starship rocket launch in Texas in November.
The billionaire even starred in a reality TV show on CNBC called “Billion Dollar Buyer” and owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and in over 15 countries.
Some of his properties include the iconic Golden Nugget Casino, Morton’s The Steakhouse, the Palm Restaurant and Joe’s Crab Shack.
Transition officials declined to comment, according to the article.
Lewis Eisenberg served as ambassador to Italy in Trump’s first administration, and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell is the current ambassador, who was appointed to the role in 2023.
