MILAN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha flew into Milan on Thursday on the eve of the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Vance, wearing a blue zip-up jacket with a U.S. flag on his arm, was greeted by Tilman Fertitta, the ambassador to Italy, on the tarmac at Malpensa Airport.
Usha Vance was also dressed casually in a white fleece with the Stars and Stripes on the back, as well as the five-ring Olympic logo.
The Vice President and Secretary of State
Marco Rubio are expected to attend the opening ceremony in the San Siro soccer stadium on Friday evening.
The International Olympic Committee is hoping the ceremony will not be marred by jeers against Americans, and will be a show of respect for athletes from around the world.
There are concerns spectators could boo the American team or politicians, with the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel a source of anger in Italy.
ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division will back up the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service at the February 6-22 Milano Cortina Olympics.
ICE officials will not conduct any policing on Italian streets, Italy's interior minister Matteo Piantedosi said on Wednesday, dismissing political outrage over their presence as baseless.
(Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Ed Osmond)
