Diplomacy and Business: $20 Billion in 20 Minutes

It’s a story that might as well have been pulled from the pages of Trump’s own book, The Art of the Deal. Zampolli, a 55-year-old Lombard native who arrived in the United States as an ambitious young man, climbed the ranks of New York’s elite long before Trump took office in 2017. His social and political ascent eventually placed him in the former president’s inner circle—where speed, decisiveness, and deal-making are second nature.

During a brief but intense visit to Uzbekistan, Zampolli leveraged that very approach—what he calls “American decisiveness and economic diplomacy”—to help drive a $20 billion agreement for Boeing aircraft. His mission, he says, is to travel the world forging commercial alliances that blend business interests with diplomatic influence. Italy could be next on his itinerary, where he would, according to protocol, work alongside U.S. Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta.

In Central Asia, Zampolli has already opened doors beyond Uzbekistan. The region—home to resource-rich nations like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—is attracting renewed global attention, and Zampolli appears intent on being part of the conversation. He’s also tapping into “sports diplomacy,” praising Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for investing in a new Olympic Center expected to gain international visibility.

Because, as Zampolli sees it, in today’s fragmented geopolitical landscape, every corner of the world matters—from Washington to Tashkent, and perhaps soon, back to Rome. There, he’s expected to rally support for a cause that’s become central to his advocacy: the fight against Fentanyl, the deadly “zombie drug” now on the G7 agenda under Italy’s presidency. For Zampolli, it’s all part of the same global mission—one where diplomacy, business, and speed are inseparable.