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Rubio ends envoy term
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of Tom Barrack’s mandate as US special envoy to Syria on Saturday, May 30, while Barrack continued serving as US ambassador to Turkey.
The Media Line said Barrack was appointed in May 2025 after Washington announced plans to lift major sanctions on Damascus, and that lawmakers were informed of the State Department’s “intent to implement a phased approach to potentially resume embassy operations in Syria.”
Rubio indicated on X that Barrack’s tenure as special envoy was ending and suggested the designation would not be renewed, while also saying Barrack would continue to play a leading role for the Trump administration in both Syria and Iraq.
The Media Line added that Barrack met al-Sharaa in Damascus on 17 May and described Syria as “a laboratory for a new regional alliance based on diplomacy, integration and hope for the entire region.”
Continuing role, no successor
Rubio said on X that “While this specific title concludes, he will continue to play a leadership role for the Trump administration in Syria and Iraq,” and multiple outlets framed the change as an expiration of the envoy title rather than a full exit from the Syria file.
Kurdistan24 reported that Barrack would remain at the center of Washington’s engagement with both Syria and Iraq, and it quoted Rubio’s post praising Barrack’s “expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda.”
Enab Baladi said Rubio did not provide further details on the nature of Barrack’s new role or on who will take over the duties of US special envoy to Syria in the next phase.
The New Arab similarly said Rubio signaled Barrack would retain a prominent role in the Trump administration’s regional strategy despite stepping down as US special envoy to Syria.
Policy shift and backlash
The Media Line described Barrack’s work after the fall of Bashar Assad as overseeing efforts related to sanctions relief, reconstruction initiatives involving Turkey and Gulf states, and cooperation against the Islamic State terror group.
“Tom Barrack to Continue to 'Play a Leading Role' in Syria and Iraq, Rubio Says The US Secretary of State said Ambassador Tom Barrack will continue playing a leading role in both Syria and Iraq despite the expiration of his title as Special Envoy for Syria”
It also said Barrack played a role in discussions between the Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces while supporting efforts to stabilize the administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and broaden US diplomatic engagement with Damascus.
The Media Line reported that Barrack’s tenure drew criticism in Lebanon after remarks urging journalists to behave in a “civilized” rather than “animalistic” manner during a news conference sparked backlash.
It further said Syrian-Kurdish leaders accused him of taking an excessively “pro-Damascus” position and pressuring Kurdish groups to accept terms advanced by al-Sharaa, while The New Arab tied the envoy’s influence to efforts that contributed to the lifting of US sanctions on Damascus.
