ROME — U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta used a stop in Genoa during his summer tour of the country to underscore the strength of ties with Rome, praising Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and pointing to shipbuilding, ports and maritime security as areas where U.S. and Italian interests increasingly overlap.
Speaking to Italian media in Genoa as part of his “Coastal Diplomacy Tour,” Fertitta said U.S.-Italy relations are “at a very high level” and described Meloni as “a world-class leader, highly respected abroad.”
Why it Matters: The political relationship is robust. Fertitta stated that the ties between Washington and Rome are currently “at a very high level,” despite the recent public confrontation between Meloni and President Donald Trump.
- Shipbuilding is part of the picture. The ambassador praised Fincantieri as “one of the largest shipbuilders in the world” and said the Italian group could be considered for new U.S. orders.
- Ports are part of the strategic conversation. Fertitta used his coastal tour to stress the importance of Italian ports for trade, tourism and shipbuilding.
- Hormuz is the immediate geopolitical backdrop. The ambassador said he expected the crisis around the strait to be resolved soon, while acknowledging that the situation remains “very complicated.”
The transatlantic angle. Fertitta’s comments in Genoa offered a notably positive assessment of the current political relationship.
- He described Meloni as “a world-class leader, highly respected abroad” and said that “Italy-U.S. relations are at a very high level at the moment with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.”
- Asked about Italy’s next elections, Fertitta said the U.S. government tends to remain neutral, while adding that Italians would “make the right choice.”
Follow the ships. The industrial dimension was just as notable. During the Genoa stop, Fertitta met Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero and praised the Italian group as “one of the largest shipbuilders in the world.”
- Asked whether Fincantieri could be considered for new U.S. orders as Washington looks to strengthen the U.S. Navy, Fertitta said it could.
- The comments put one of Italy’s main industrial players inside a broader conversation about U.S. naval capacity, while Fertitta’s tour has highlighted the strategic importance of Italy’s ports and maritime infrastructure.
Zoom out: Hormuz. That maritime focus comes against a wider security backdrop.
- Fertitta said he expected the situation around the Strait of Hormuz to be resolved soon, although “at the moment everything is very complicated.”
- His message on Iran was much sharper: “Donald Trump wants to get rid of this horrible Iranian regime that is holding young people hostage and I support him 100% and I am sure he will do it.”
What we’re watching: The U.S. Ambassador also said he would explore the possibility of bringing Trump to Genoa for Columbus Day after being asked about a presidential visit.
- The broader signal was wider than any single event: Washington’s envoy framed the relationship with Italy through politics, industrial capacity and maritime interests — three areas increasingly converging in the current security environment.
(Photo: X, @USambItaly)
