Hearings to examine the nominations of Tilman Fertitta, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Italian Republic, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador to the Republic of San Marino, Warren Stephens, of Arkansas, to be Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Thomas Barrack, of Colorado, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, all of the Department of State.

Committee on Foreign Relations

2025-04-01

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting convened to consider the nominations of Warren Stevens to be United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Tillman Fertitta to be Ambassador to Italy, and Tom Barrack to be Ambassador to Turkey, with senators introducing the nominees and later posing questions on critical foreign policy issues relevant to their prospective posts.

Themes

Nominee Backgrounds and Qualifications

Senators introduced each nominee, highlighting their professional achievements and personal attributes as key qualifications for their roles[ 00:21:27-00:21:34 ] . Warren Stevens, nominated for the United Kingdom, was lauded for his nearly four decades in finance, growing Stevens, Inc. into a global investment bank, and his extensive philanthropic contributions and commitment to public service in Arkansas. Tillman Fertitta, nominated for Italy, was recognized as a successful entrepreneur in hospitality, owner of the Houston Rockets, and a significant philanthropist in Texas, with his Italian heritage also noted. Senator Kelly shared a personal anecdote illustrating Fertitta's problem-solving skills and unwavering support during a family crisis. Tom Barrack, nominated for Turkey, was presented as an international business leader and patriot whose family background from the former Ottoman Empire and early career in the Middle East uniquely prepared him for the role.

United States-United Kingdom Relations

The UK was consistently described as the United States' closest and most indispensable ally, sharing deep cultural and historical ties[ 01:03:42-01:03:48 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Discussions focused on strengthening defense cooperation, with concerns raised about the UK's defense spending levels falling short of NATO requirements and the state of its industrial base[ 01:04:08-01:04:23 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. The AUKUS agreement was highlighted as a crucial initiative for Indo-Pacific deterrence, though implementation challenges related to technology transfer regulations (ITAR) were acknowledged[ 01:08:11 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 01:09:09 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Economic opportunities were identified in biomedical research and tin mining, with Stevens emphasizing the role of capital markets in bolstering trade. The importance of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance was stressed, and Stevens affirmed his commitment to ensuring robust intelligence cooperation. Senators also expressed concerns about the UK's potential deal to transfer sovereignty over the Diego Garcia base and the Labor government's stance on Israel[ 01:04:49-01:05:16 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

United States-Italy Relations

Italy was recognized as a vital ally, a founding member of NATO, and a key partner in Europe, with strong cultural and economic ties to the US[ 00:32:10-00:32:30 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 01:05:21-01:05:26 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. A primary concern was Italy's defense spending, which remains below the 2% NATO target, and the tendency for "fuzzy math" in its military budget[ 01:06:06-01:06:12 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Fertitta committed to working to increase Italy's defense contributions to meet and ideally exceed this target. Trade imbalances and barriers for US products in the Italian market were discussed, with Fertitta expressing optimism about expanding economic opportunities and reducing the trade deficit by promoting US companies and goods[ 01:05:46-01:06:00 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Italy's past involvement in China's Belt and Road Initiative and ongoing economic cooperation with China raised concerns among senators regarding potential CCP influence. Fertitta pledged to closely monitor China's activities and reinforce the US as Italy's primary ally[ 01:47:06-01:47:57 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

United States-Turkey Relations

Turkey was identified as the "most challenging" ally among the nominations, despite its critical NATO membership[ 01:06:19 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Senators raised significant concerns including Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400 missile systems, its ties with Russia and Hamas, human rights abuses (such as the arrest of opposition figures and repression of dissent), and its complex role in Syria. Barrack acknowledged the complexity, noting Turkey's contributions to NATO and support for Ukraine, and articulated a desire to seek a "total government solution" for navigating the multi-faceted challenges. He affirmed commitment to protecting American citizens' rights and enforcing US policy, including opposing Turkey's support for ICC arrest warrants against Israeli officials[ 01:18:38-01:18:38 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Barrack also highlighted potential for increased trade and energy cooperation, aiming to achieve a $100 billion trade goal with Turkey, envisioning it as a "new spice road" and a hub for gas transport to Europe.

Ambassadorial Role and Policy Implementation

The responsibilities of an ambassador were emphasized as representing the United States and the President, navigating complex international relationships, and executing foreign policy. Nominees were pressed on their understanding of and commitment to implementing US policy, particularly regarding challenging allies like Turkey, and coordinating with other US representatives, such as special envoys. Diplomacy was underscored as the critical tool for resolving international issues, especially in high-stakes regions.

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting maintained a generally professional and respectful tone, with senators expressing gratitude to the nominees for their willingness to serve and highlighting their impressive qualifications[ 00:23:33 ] [ 01:20:10 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. However, the discussions were also marked by pointed questions and serious concerns, particularly regarding Turkey's foreign policy actions and human rights record. Nominees often responded cautiously to sensitive or classified topics, deferring to the administration's policy or requesting more information once confirmed. The overall atmosphere reflected a serious deliberation on critical diplomatic appointments, balancing support for the nominees with robust scrutiny of their preparedness for complex global challenges[ 01:03:23-01:03:38 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Participants

Transcript

you
Thank you.
Thank you.
When you come to order, uh, thank you all for being here today as usual.  Uh, uh, I want to welcome everyone in the audience, our guests, uh, for those of you, this may sound a little strange, but we have guests that interrupt us sometimes.  So, so any of those, uh, that may show up, doesn't look like there's any here today.  Uh, we have a zero tolerance, uh, uh, any type of communication attempt to communicate with the committee or witnesses will be dealt with severely.  You'll be arrested, uh, and banned from the committee for, uh, for a year.   So with that, on a happier note, we're glad to see all of you here today who have agreed to be with us and to take on these difficult positions that you've been nominated for.  And we're going to consider the nominations of Mr. Warren Stevens to be United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Mr. Tom McBarrack to be Ambassador to Turkey, and Mr. Tilden Fertitta to be Ambassador to Italy.   Before we ordinarily make opening statements, however, we have Senate members who would like to introduce some of our nominees.  So let's start.  Senator Hagerty, you have the floor.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.  And I want to congratulate all of our nominees today.  It's an incredible honor.   to represent the greatest nation in the world, and it is a credible honor for me to introduce one of my good friends, someone I've known for more than a decade, and that's Tom Barrack, who's our nominee to be U.S.  Ambassador to Turkey.  Tom's an international business leader, and he's a true patriot, whose nomination comes at a very important time for relations between the United States and Turkey.   When you consider Tom's background and his qualifications, you can see why President Trump wants him as our nation's chief diplomat in Ankara.  Over a century ago, Tom's grandparents immigrated to the United States from a place that we now call Lebanon.  But back then, it was part of the Ottoman Empire.  While his family settled here, they didn't forget their ties to a region where Tom is now being called to serve.   Tom himself had humble beginnings growing up working in the grocery store that his parents owned in Southern California.  By the time Tom went to college, he had a deep appreciation from his family for the significance of culture, service, and commerce.  So after graduating from law school, it's no surprise that Tom began his professional career helping to promote business ties between the United States and the Middle East.  Tom's built on this foundation in the decades since, showing he's an incredible leader   with an exceptional ability to work across differences in culture and politics to both solve problems and to create value.  In fact, French President Nicolas Sarkozy recognized Tom with the rare Legion d'Honneur Award in 2010 for Tom's contributions.   Tom's proven success in bridging interests across the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East make him uniquely qualified to serve as U.S.  Ambassador to Turkey, a country that has long been at the crossroads of international relations.  But Tom's qualities don't stop there.   He also served as Under Secretary of Interior for President Reagan, and he's an avid philanthropist.
In other words, Tom has the heart of a public servant, intent on making our nation and our world a better place.  As a former ambassador myself, I believe strongly that America needs diplomatic leaders abroad who know how to make deals   and how to stand firm in support of American interests.  If confirmed, Tom will make exactly that type of ambassador.  Mr. Chairman, thank you for the chance to introduce Tom Barrack.  I look forward to our hearing this morning, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support his nomination.
Thank you, Senator.  We will now hear from Senator Cornyn.  You have the floor.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  Ranking Member Shaheen, thank you for holding this hearing on the nomination of my friend and fellow Texan, Tillman Fertitta, to be the next ambassador to Italy and San Marino.  And Tillman, I learned something this morning.  San Marino's population, 33,000   So congratulations on your nomination.  I've had the pleasure of knowing Tillman for quite some time.  We all know him as a successful entrepreneur and who was well on his way to expanding his first two seafood restaurants in greater Houston into what would later become one of the largest dining and hospitality enterprises in the country.   But what I later learned is that Tillman is not only one of the nation's most prominent businessmen, he's also a visionary and a philanthropist who's dedicated much of his time and resources to bettering the community.

Sign up for free to see the full transcript

Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.

Sign up