US Senate confirms Tom Barrack as US Ambassador to Türkiye
Thomas Barrack, nominee to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, testifies during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. U.S., on April 01, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Tom Barrack, a prominent businessman and longtime confidant of U.S. President Donald Trump, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday as the next ambassador to Türkiye.
The Senate approved his nomination with a 60-36 vote, paving the way for him to assume the role in Ankara at a time of significant change in bilateral relations.
Barrack, 78, emphasized Türkiye’s strategic importance during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month. “Sitting at the most strategic crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Türkiye’s NATO contributions are numerous,” he told lawmakers, highlighting the country’s critical position in regional and global security frameworks.
Tom Barrack: Trump’s key advisor
Born and raised in Southern California, Barrack earned degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of San Diego School of Law. He is widely known for his close association with Trump, having chaired the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee and served as a senior advisor during the 2016 campaign.
In 2022, Barrack was acquitted of charges alleging that he had acted as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates during the Trump administration and made false statements to federal investigators.
He succeeds former Ambassador Jeff Flake, who held the position from January 2022 until his departure in September 2024. The ambassadorship had remained vacant since then.
