Trump Nominates Houston Rockets Owner as US Ambassador to Italy
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday his intention to nominate Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and a prominent businessman, as the United States ambassador to Italy.
Trump praised Fertitta as “an accomplished businessman” in his announcement on Truth Social, highlighting Fertitta’s extensive philanthropic efforts, which include supporting children’s charities, law enforcement, and the medical community.
Fertitta, known for his business acumen and community involvement, gained attention in 2019 during the controversy surrounding a social media post by then-Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who expressed support for Hong Kong protests. Fertitta publicly distanced the team from political discussions, emphasizing that the Rockets were “not a political organization” and focused solely on promoting the NBA internationally.
The announcement of Fertitta’s nomination comes a day after Trump revealed plans to nominate Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, as the next US ambassador to Vatican City.
