US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Thomas Barrack as special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq, in addition to his duties as US ambassador to Turkey.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday, May 31, “I am pleased to announce that United States Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack, who has done an outstanding job, will be appointed Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and Iraq.”
He added that the appointment comes as the US government continues to strengthen its strategic cooperation and as relations with the Syrian and Iraqi governments continue to grow.
Trump explained that the US envoy will continue his duties as ambassador to Turkey, alongside his work in Syria and Iraq, with the full support of the US State Department.
The US president expressed appreciation for the work Thomas Barrack carried out during the previous period and for his continued willingness to serve his country, according to Trump.
The US president’s decision came one day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of Thomas Barrack’s term as US special envoy to Syria.
Rubio said in a post on X that Barrack played an invaluable role as America’s special envoy to Syria.
Rubio spoke of Barrack continuing to play a leading role for the Trump administration in both Syria and Iraq, saying that his experience, relationships, and understanding of the “America First” agenda will continue to achieve gains for great America, according to Rubio.
American Politician of Lebanese Origin
Thomas Barrack is an American politician and businessman of Lebanese origin. Born in 1947, he worked as a lawyer before emerging as a real estate investor in major international companies. He founded the giant Colony Capital company, through which he acquired major assets such as New York’s Plaza Hotel and Miramax.
He held senior positions under presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, and was recently appointed US ambassador to Turkey, then special envoy to Syria.
During his tenure, Barrack led a major political shift expressed by the Trump administration, including support for stability and diplomatic integration in the phase after political change in Syria, calls to integrate local forces, and coordination over the contours of the transitional phase and reconstruction.
Thomas Barrack has had a long relationship with current President Donald Trump, dating back to the 1990s, when he sold him a stake in the well-known Alexander’s department store chain. The relationship between the two developed over the years.
Barrack became an adviser to Trump during his 2016 election campaign, then chaired the presidential inaugural committee that oversaw the celebrations and ceremonies for the inauguration of the 45th president in US history.
In July 2021, he faced federal charges of acting as an agent for a foreign state, exploiting his influence in Trump’s election campaign to influence US policy, and making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but he was acquitted of the charges in November 2022.
When President Trump ran again in the 2024 presidential election and won, he announced his intention to nominate Barrack as US ambassador to Turkey. The Senate confirmed the appointment in late April 2025.
After taking office as US ambassador to Turkey, Barrack announced on May 23, 2025, that he had assumed the duties of US special envoy to Syria.
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