Thomas Barrack expected to become US special envoy for Syria

US Ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, is preparing to serve in Syria.

Thomas Barrack, a close friend of US President Donald Trump and the current Ambassador to Ankara, is expected to be appointed as the Special Envoy to Syria. This development was announced shortly after the US decision to lift sanctions on Syria and also indicates Türkiye’s influence over the new Syrian administration.

A source with direct knowledge and a diplomat serving in Türkiye told Reuters that the US administration is preparing to appoint Ambassador Thomas Barrack as the Special Envoy to Syria. Barrack is also known as a long-time close friend of US President Donald Trump.

This move follows Trump’s surprise announcement last week to lift all US sanctions against Syria. According to Reuters, this decision is also interpreted as Washington’s acknowledgment of Türkiye’s growing influence over Damascus following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December.

A US State Department spokesperson, when asked about the appointment, responded, “There is nothing to announce at this stage.”

Rubio: Alternative would be full-scale civil war

Speaking at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Barrack and Turkish embassy staff have been authorized to work with local officials in Syria to determine what kind of assistance is needed.

Rubio stated, “We want this interim government to succeed. Because otherwise, a full-scale civil war and chaos will destabilize the entire region.”

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Barrack also attended a US-Türkiye meeting on Syria held in Washington the same day, where the lifting of sanctions and counter-terrorism efforts were discussed.

Trump’s decision to lift sanctions

According to Reuters, the US administration initially planned to lift sanctions on Syria gradually. However, President Trump announced last week that he had directly ordered the “termination of sanctions,” stating that this decision aims to give Syria a chance to recover after the devastating war.

Trump also stated that he made this decision following discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Trump also met with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Shara in Saudi Arabia on May 14, calling for the normalization of relations with Israel. The meeting took place immediately after the lifting of US sanctions.