Buonasera a tutti! Welcome to Villa Taverna. Tonight is special for so many reasons. First off, it’s my first Independence Day here and I hope to spend many more here. I want to thank each of you for joining us as we celebrate the 249th birthday of the United States of America. I want to thank our incredible team from the Embassy for putting on this great party. 

It’s an honor of a lifetime to serve as the United States Ambassador to Italy.  I’m so grateful for the President to give me this opportunity. There’s only one country that I would serve as ambassador. Only one. And that is the great Republic of Italy.