VENICE — U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta made a striking entrance into the waters of Venice on Friday, arriving aboard his enormous superyacht and setting off a wave of protests while authorities scrambled to beef up security across the historic city.
Fertitta, a billionaire businessman tapped for the ambassadorship by President Donald Trump, is making his way along Italy’s coastline on what he’s calling a “Freedom 250 Coastal Diplomacy Tour” — a voyage meant to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. His vessel, named Boardwalk, stretches 117 meters — roughly 384 feet — in length.
With a tugboat alongside, the gleaming white yacht slowly pulled up to Riva dei Sette Martiri, a wide waterfront walkway located about a kilometer — or half a mile — from the famous St. Mark’s Square.
The timing of Fertitta’s arrival proved particularly sensitive, landing just ahead of the Festa del Redentore, a centuries-old celebration marking the end of a historic plague outbreak. The festival draws thousands of locals and tourists to Venice each year for fireworks displays and religious observances.
Venice residents have long voiced frustration over the strain that large-scale tourism and high-profile events place on their fragile city. That discontent was reignited earlier this year when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez held their wedding in Venice in June 2025.
Activists connected to the Morion social centre organized a demonstration under the rallying cry “Venezia non si Usa” — meaning “Venice is not to be used” — planning to march from their headquarters toward the spot where the yacht docked.
Those leading the protest described Fertitta as a symbol of Trump’s broader agenda, which they argued is stoking international conflicts, backing Israel’s military operations in Gaza, and contributing to rising prices and global economic uncertainty.
Italy’s Green and Left Alliance, known as AVS, leveled criticism at the Italian government, accusing it of pulling hundreds of police officers away from regular public safety responsibilities to essentially serve as personal security for Fertitta throughout his Italian tour. The party also called on its supporters to join demonstrations against U.S. policies.
The visit comes amid a cooling of relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. A notable flashpoint came when Meloni flatly denied Trump’s claim that she had “begged” for a photo together at the recent Group of Seven summit — a public dispute that has put strain on what was once considered a tight political bond.
Fertitta has pushed back against talk of a falling out, insisting that Trump and Meloni share a genuinely strong personal connection.
