Tilman Fertitta, Trump's ambassador to Italy, quoted in "Trump’s ambassador to Italy is flaunting his wealth, and it’s dividing Italians/With a net worth of $11.1 billion, Tilman Fertitta, a great-grandson of Sicilian immigrants, is one of the wealthiest people ever to be a U.S. ambassador" (WaPo gift link).
WaPo explains: "Italy has perhaps a different relationship with wealth than other European countries such as Britain, where aspiration can be viewed as a personality flaw. This is the land where Gucci and Versace helped define loud luxury, and where the political cult of billionaire playboy Silvio Berlusconi once reigned. But even here, the Italian elite can see American-style displays of wealth as violations of good taste. And while some on the political left have happily sipped champagne on his yacht, others have sharply criticized the tour."
Fertitta offers advice about how to deal with Trump: "What I’ve said is, 'You don’t want to get in a verbal volleyball match with Donald Trump; because he’s relentless, and he’s going to win." And: "If he’s not giving you a hard time, then you’re not worth the time of day."
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21 टिप्पणियां:
Screw the Italians. Is the ambassador getting the job done or not? Isn't that the bottom line?
"Barbara Bodine, a scholar on diplomacy at Georgetown University and a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen. “But to flaunt it this much? My reaction when I found out that … he was out there in this yacht is that this is inappropriate.”
Yeah, right lady. I'll tell you what is inappropriate. The President of the United States getting blow jobs in the White House from a much younger female employee.
Barbara Bodine, a scholar on diplomacy at Georgetown University and a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen. “But to flaunt it this much? My reaction when I found out that … he was out there in this yacht is that this is inappropriate.”
Disagree.
There are people who are happy to have him away from Las Vegas.
There's Italians who are wading in money.
He has Trump analyzed correctly. If he's not giving you a hard time, you're not worth bothering with--Trump usually manages to get the big things right--close the border, clean up the military, get rid of DEI, do something about the Iranian mullahs and their reign of terror. But he can be distracted by shiny baubles. And he is as big a blowhard as Obama.
Fertitta was obnoxious here in the US and now he's being himself in Italy. I'm sure the Italians can handle it. They handle the Pope. They handled the Medici. They handled the Savoys. They'll deal with Fertitta.
Fertitta, huh? Sounds like a relation to the brothers who own the UFC. Dana White's friendship with President DJT paying off with some political tentacles. I'm not complaining. Obama had the Emmanuel brothers working for him in Hollywood, government, and the White House.
Tilman Fertitta is third cousin of the Fertitta brothers who own the Station Casinos in Las Vegas and used to own a piece of the UFC. Tilman has agreed to purchase Caesars Entertainment for $6 billion in cash and assuming $12 billion in debt.
Ah yes bodind who kicked john oneil out of yemen and led him to his death at the towers more of that
The only way I care about Fertitta is for him to get the Houston Rockets to win an NBA championship.
Totally on brand...Man of the people.
Tilman Fertitta is from Galveston, one of our two native billionaires, the other being George Mitchell of fracking fame. You all can sniff and snort and preen all you want. Anything Tilman has done for Galveston, which is quite a lot, has been done very well.
Barbara Bodine, a scholar on diplomacy at Georgetown University and a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen....
Shouldn't she be advising what to do about Houthis?
Trump has publicly praised Fertitta as an accomplished peer, famously referring to him as his "twin" due to their similar business backgrounds
Trump 10 billion
Fertitta 11 billion
If Donald Trump had faced this exact scenario on 9/11, his handling of the Saudi departures would likely have been driven by two contrasting forces: his "America First" nationalism and his transactional, business-friendly approach to foreign policy.Based on his historical policy decisions, statements, and governing style, a Trump administration would have likely handled the situation through the following actions:1. Grounding the Flights Under "America First"Strict Lockdown: Trump would likely have rejected any special exceptions for foreign nationals while American citizens were grounded. To project absolute strength, he would have demanded that no planes leave U.S. airspace until a thorough, public investigation took place.Aggressive Rhetoric: He likely would have used his public platform to call out Saudi Arabia directly. During his 2016 campaign, Trump frequently blamed the kingdom for 9/11, famously stating on Fox News, "Who blew up the World Trade Center? It wasn't the Iraqis, it was the Saudis. Take a look at Saudi Arabia, open the documents." He would have weaponized this stance to bar any quick evacuations.2. Demanding Extreme ScreeningImmigration Crackdown: Rather than allowing the FBI to conduct quiet, routine name-checks, Trump likely would have ordered an immediate, highly publicized lockdown of all Saudi nationals in the country.A Precursor to the "Travel Ban": Similar to his 2017 executive orders, he would have likely implemented an immediate suspension of visas and mandated "extreme vetting" for anyone trying to leave, forcing individuals—including the bin Laden family—to undergo intensive interrogation before granting departure clearance.3. Leveraging the Situation for a "Deal"Transactional Diplomacy: While Trump often used harsh anti-Saudi rhetoric for domestic appeal, his actual presidency proved highly accommodating to the kingdom due to lucrative arms deals and oil dominance. Once the initial shock of the attack passed, Trump would likely have looked for a transaction.The "Quid Pro Quo": Trump might have allowed the charter flights to depart, but only in exchange for immediate, tangible concessions. He likely would have demanded that the Saudi government publicly bankroll billions of dollars for the upcoming U.S. military response, hand over classified intelligence dossiers, or slash oil prices to stabilize the reeling U.S. economy.4. Overriding the BureaucracyIgnoring the Deep State: In 2001, the evacuations were handled quietly through an interagency video conference led by counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke. Trump notoriously distrusted career intelligence officials. He likely would have bypassed standard FBI and CIA protocols entirely, making the final decision on the flights personally based on his direct relationship with Saudi leadership.AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
Awaiting Trump's Speech Acts a few days ahead.
Is Kalshi running market?
As Trump's twin Tillman could be running Adriatic Coastal Cruise for emoluments?!
"Be Italian" was a lousy song from a lousy musical, but it did sum up the popular conception of over-the-top, in-your-face Italians with their brio and gusto. To the extent that the stereotype is true, Italians are preferable to haughty Frenchmen, but there's another, quieter side to Italians. They are more old world and less Americanized than Northern Europeans.
"But even here, the Italian elite can see American-style displays of wealth as violations of good taste. And while some on the political left have happily sipped champagne on his yacht, others have sharply criticized the tour."
How do they feel about George Clooney?
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