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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Ambassador Tom Barrack will continue to play a leading role in U.S. policy toward Syria and Iraq despite the expiration of his title as Special Envoy to Syria.
“Ambassador Tom Barrack has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria,” Rubio said in a post on X.
Rubio said Barrack’s expertise and regional relationships would continue to support the administration’s objectives.
“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 American First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country,” Rubio wrote.
Barrack assumed the role of special envoy in May 2025, shortly after Washington announced plans to lift major sanctions on Damascus. He took up the position while retaining his post as U.S. ambassador to Türkiye.
The announcement came days after Barrack described Syria as a model for a new regional approach to diplomacy and cooperation.
“Syria is now a laboratory for a new regional alignment of diplomacy, integration and hope for the entire region,” Barrack said Sunday in a post on X following a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Barrack said Syria had achieved “remarkable” progress under Sharaa’s leadership and through “the dedicated diplomacy” of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
“The opportunities ahead offer exponential advancement for the Syrian people and enduring stability,” he added.
According to Syria’s state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the meeting at the People’s Palace in Damascus focused on developments in Syria and the wider region, as well as ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
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Former Syrian President Bashar Assad, who ruled the country for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups captured Damascus in December 2024, bringing an end to the Baath Party’s decades-long rule.
A transitional administration led by Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January 2025 and has since pursued broader international engagement and expanded cooperation with international and humanitarian organizations.
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