Washington, May 31: Tom Barrack, the United States’ special envoy for Syria, is set to step down from his formal role. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that Barrack will continue to play a central diplomatic role in managing policies for Syria and Iraq.
Rubio took to social media platform X to express, “Ambassador Tom Barrack has been a key mediator in Syria and remains a reliable hand in Iraq. He will continue to play a significant role not only as our ambassador to the Republic of Turkey but also in advancing strategic cooperation with the Syrian government and initiating work with the new government in Iraq.”
He emphasized Barrack’s importance as a vital member of the president’s team, stating, “I have complete trust in him, and he works with the full support of the State Department. His ongoing desire to lead this work benefits the American people greatly.”
In a previous post, Secretary Rubio noted, “Ambassador Tom Barrack has played a valuable role as our special envoy in Syria, even as this title comes to an end. He will continue to play a key role for the Trump administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to yield victories for our great nation.”
The billionaire real estate investor and long-time confidant of President Donald Trump has served as the special envoy for Syria since May 2025, while also acting as the U.S. ambassador to Turkey.
According to media reports, during his year-long tenure as the envoy to Syria, Barrack witnessed Washington’s tilt towards the Assad-backed administration of interim President Ahmad al-Shara. He significantly influenced U.S. policy by advocating for easing heavy economic sanctions on Damascus and coordinating operations against the Islamic State with regional allies, including Turkey and Gulf Arab nations.