By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Tom Barrack, a prominent businessman, as the next US ambassador to Türkiye.
"I am pleased to announce that Tom Barrack will serve as our next Ambassador to Türkiye," Trump said in a statement.
"For three decades, Tom successfully managed a global private equity firm. He is a well-respected and experienced voice of reason to a wide range of thought leaders in both political and business circles," he added.
Barrack, 77, who was born and raised in Southern California, is a graduate of the University of Southern California and the University of San Diego School of Law.
Known for his close ties to Trump, Barrack previously chaired his 2017 inaugural committee and was a key advisor to his 2016 presidential campaign
If confirmed by the Senate, Barrack will succeed Ambassador Jeff Flake, who served from January 2022 to September 2024.
Barrack's appointment comes at a pivotal time for US-Türkiye relations, which have been strained by several disagreements, including over US support for the YPG in Syria -- a group Ankara considers an extension of the PKK terror organization --and Türkiye’s acquisition of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system, which led to the country’s removal from the F-35 program and sanctions by Washington against Ankara.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was one of the first leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory on election night and spoke to him over the phone the following day.
Calling the president-elect a “friend,” Erdogan expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation and urged Trump to fulfill his pledge to end Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the Russian war on Ukraine.