President-elect Donald Trump announced Tom Barrack as his choice for U.S. ambassador to Türkiye on Tuesday.
The 77-year-old businessman has journeyed from Southern California law offices to the heights of global real estate and now stands as a potential candidate for one of America’s most sensitive diplomatic posts.
Retired Colonel and current Atlantic Council nonresident senior fellow Rich Outzen commented on X regarding the appointment:
An influential choice, if true and confirmed. This has great potential for US-TR relations. https://t.co/dS6nAjnSJI
— Rich Outzen (@RichOutzen) December 11, 2024
Trump ties and legal challenges
His relationship with Trump, which spans decades, has been particularly influential. Barrack served as a key advisor during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and later chaired the 2017 inaugural committee, where he demonstrated his fundraising prowess by securing over $100 million for the event.
However, Barrack’s career has not been without controversy. In 2021, he faced serious legal challenges when he was indicted on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates.
The case concluded with his complete acquittal in November 2022, clearing a potential obstacle to his diplomatic appointment.
With a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, Barrack is expected swiftly assume his post after Trump takes office.
Tom Barrack: From law school to real estate empire
Thomas Joseph Barrack Jr., 77, brings to the role a complex resume spanning private equity, presidential politics, and international business relationships. As founder of Colony Capital, a real estate investment trust, he built a real estate empire that transformed him from a lawyer into a billionaire investor with a keen eye for distressed properties.
“For three decades, Tom successfully managed a global private equity firm,” Trump said in his announcement. “He is a well-respected and experienced voice of reason to a wide range of thought leaders in both political and business circles.”
Born and raised in Southern California, Barrack’s academic credentials include degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of San Diego School of Law. But it was his business acumen that defined his career trajectory.
After founding Colony Capital in 1990, he quickly established himself as a significant player in global real estate investment, building a portfolio that encompassed hotels, resorts and various other properties.
Challenges awaiting Barrack in Ankara
If confirmed by the Senate, Barrack will succeed Jeffry Flake, who served as ambassador from January 2022 to September 2024. He would step into the role at a critical juncture in U.S.-Türkiye relations, which several significant disagreements have strained including U.S. support for the YPG in Syria—a group Ankara considers an extension of the PKK terrorist group—and Türkiye’s acquisition of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system, which resulted in Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program and triggered U.S. sanctions against Ankara.
Barrack’s nomination comes at a moment when diplomatic expertise is particularly crucial. As he awaits Senate confirmation, his extensive business experience and understanding of international relations will be scrutinized alongside his past controversies and long-standing relationship with Trump.
The role he potentially steps into requires navigating complex diplomatic waters with a NATO ally at a time when regional stability and international cooperation are more critical than ever.
His confirmation hearings are expected to focus on how his business background and experience in international relations might influence his approach to addressing the various challenges in U.S.-Turkish relations, from regional security concerns to economic partnerships.
The potential appointment of Barrack represents a significant shift in U.S. diplomatic representation in Türkiye, bringing a business-oriented perspective to a role traditionally filled by career diplomats.
