U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he will nominate billionaire Houston Rockets pro basketball team owner Tilman Fertitta to be his administration's ambassador to Italy. Fertitta is the chairman and owner of Landry's,

Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is tapping Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta to be the next ambassador to Italy, where firebrand Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has become a European power player — and a Trump favorite.

Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and Landry’s restaurant group, hosted a fundraiser for Trump earlier this year.