Tilman Fertitta, the US billionaire businessman appointed by Donald Trump as ambassador to Italy, has drawn criticism for touring the country on his $450 million superyacht, the Boardwalk, as part of a two-and-a-half-month "Coastal Diplomatic Tour." The 383ft vessel, featuring two helipads, two pools, four hot tubs, a spa and a cinema, has become a venue for lavish receptions where Fertitta entertains Italian officials, business figures and sports personalities, a style he describes as effective diplomacy that flatters local hosts.

The trip, which Fertitta says will cost him around $1 million of his own money, has sparked protests, including demonstrations in Venice where crowds chanted against billionaires and demanded the Italian government disclose security costs, estimated by lawmaker Angelo Bonelli at up to $4.6 million. Despite the backlash, Fertitta, the world's 312th-richest person, is reported to have won favour within Georgia Meloni's inner circle, with Defence Minister Guido Crosetto praising his close relationship with Trump, even as some officials, including Senate president Ignazio La Russa, have distanced themselves from his parties to avoid controversy.