Tom Barrack, United States Special Envoy for Syria and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, speaks at the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, which took place over three days, on April 17, 2026. (Press photo: Antalya Diplomatic Forum/AFP)
Repeated visits to Damascus, a close relationship with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, and often controversial statements about the history of the Levant have made Thomas Barrack one of the main faces of Donald Trump’s policy in the Middle East. On May 31, his influence grew further when the U.S. president named him special presidential envoy for Iraq, in addition to his posts as ambassador to Turkey and envoy for Syria. This decision mainly reveals a shift in the Trump administration’s vision, which increasingly appears to view Turkey, Syria, and Iraq not as separate issues, but as a single strategic sphere requiring a trusted intermediary with direct access to the president.Trump’s trusted manBarrack’s reappointment came after several days of speculation about his future role. The uncertainty arose when Secretary of State Marco Rubio...
Repeated visits to Damascus, a close relationship with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, and often controversial statements about the history of the Levant have made Thomas Barrack one of the main faces of Donald Trump’s policy in the Middle East. On May 31, his influence grew further when the U.S. president named him special presidential envoy for Iraq, in addition to his posts as ambassador to Turkey and envoy for Syria. This decision mainly reveals a shift in the Trump administration’s vision, which increasingly appears to view Turkey, Syria, and Iraq not as separate issues, but as a single strategic sphere requiring a trusted intermediary with direct access to the president.Trump’s trusted manBarrack’s reappointment came after several days of speculation about his future role. The uncertainty arose when Secretary of State...
