Born in Padua, he graduated in Sociology at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". A professional journalist since 1983, he has worked in both Rome and Naples.

Amongst the founders of the Italian Alleanza Nazionale political party, from 1993 to 1995, he was the national coordinator of the promoting committee and organizer of the Fiuggi Congress in 1995. In 2008, he was one of the founders of the Popolo della Libertà party, and in 2013 he joined the Fratelli d’Italia party.

A member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1994 to 2013, over five legislative terms, during this period he was appointed Deputy Minister of Economic Development responsible for Foreign Trade in the second and fourth Berlusconi Governments, (in 2001-2006 and 2009-2010 respectively).

In 2018, he was elected Member of the Senate for the Veneto Region on the Fratelli d’Italia political list. Head of the Party's Business and Productive Activities Department until June 2021 when he was President of the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (Copasir).

In the elections of 25 September 2022, he was elected Member of the Senate for the Veneto Region constituency.

On 21 November 2022, the Prime Minister has delegated him the coordination of space and aerospace policy.