US President Donald Trump names US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack as special presidential envoy to Iraq and reappoints him as envoy to Syria.
Trump states on Truth Social that Barrack, “who has done an outstanding job, will be named Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and, likewise, Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq, as we advance our strategic cooperation with the Governments of Syria and Iraq, our relationship with them continues to grow!”
He adds that Barrack, who served until recently as special envoy for Syria through the State Department under a fixed timeline, will remain ambassador to Turkey alongside the new positions.
Barrack has been criticized by some in Israel who view him as overly sympathetic to Ankara and Damascus, and has at times appeared to knock Israeli policies in the region, including in Syria.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 31, 2026
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