Trump consolidates Middle East policy by appointing Special Envoy Tom Barrack to Iraq and Syria

Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria, has taken on an expanded role in US Middle East policy. President Donald Trump appointed Barrack as Special Envoy to both Syria and Iraq on May 31, building on his previous work.

Barrack was instrumental in shaping US support for the new Syrian government under Ahmed al-Sharaa. He also advocated for integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Kurdish-led group that fought ISIS, into the new Damascus security forces. This move has drawn criticism from some SDF supporters who preferred autonomy for the Kurdish region in eastern Syria.

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Ambassador Tom Barrak has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria. While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the Trump Administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Barrack's "invaluable role" and stated that his expertise would continue to deliver "wins on behalf of our great country." The US aims to foster prosperity in both Syria and Iraq, countries where it intervened to combat ISIS. In Iraq, the focus is on curbing Iranian-backed militias, a challenge complicated by nearly 1,000 attacks on US forces and allies in the Kurdistan Region. Barrack's dual role is seen by some researchers as a significant strategic shift in American policy toward the region.

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the decision to “merge the Iraq and Syria files under the supervision of a single envoy reflects a fundamental shift in the American strategy towards the region.”