President Donald Trump expanded the portfolio of his special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, to include Iraq, the president said Sunday. Barrack, who serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, became Trump's Syria envoy in 2025 after President Ahmed al-Sharaa took power.
"As we advance our strategic cooperation with the Governments of Syria and Iraq, our relationship with them continues to grow," Trump said in a social media post Sunday. Barrack's previous appointment to the Syria envoy post expired Friday.
The U.S. restored diplomatic relations with Syria following the ouster of former leader Bashar Al-Assad. Iraq is set to get a new prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, after the Trump administration lobbied against former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki due to concerns about Iranian influence.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Barrack a "key trusted hand on Iraq" in a post Saturday on X. The expanded role comes as the Trump administration seeks to deepen engagement with both Syria and Iraq.
Barrack will now manage U.S. diplomatic efforts across both countries while maintaining his position as ambassador to Turkey. The dual Syria-Iraq portfolio represents a consolidation of U.S. Middle East diplomatic strategy under a single envoy.
source https://www.investing.com/news/general-news/trump-expands-barracks-syria-envoy-role-to-include-iraq-4717930
