Another Trump Personnel Failure
There is no doubt in my mind that President Trump’s appointment process is as flawed as the president himself—a man who values wealth. physical beauty, and credentials above experience, competence, and wisdom.
If there were a case study in how not to conduct American diplomacy, it would have Tom Barrack’s name on the cover. His tenure as the United States Ambassador to Turkey and United States Special Envoy for Syria has been defined by one disastrous miscalculation after another, all wrapped in the same dangerous fantasy: that Islamist extremists can be “managed” if we flatter them, legitimize them, bribe them, and look the other way.
Tom Barrack has consistently acted less like a defender of American interests and more like a public relations agent for regimes and figures with deep terrorist ties. He championed the laughable notion that a former al-Qaeda or ISIS-linked warlord running Syria had suddenly discovered Western values. The result? Sanctions lifted, minorities slaughtered, and ISIS prisoners walking free. That blood doesn’t vanish because Washington used polite language.
Worse, Barrack has openly undermined Israel while excusing or minimizing the actions of Erdogan’s Turkey and jihadist-aligned actors across the region. He attacked Israeli defensive actions meant to protect Christians and other minorities, while offering cover to those actually committing ethnic cleansing. This isn’t neutrality—it’s moral inversion.
Diplomacy requires realism, not delusion. Barrack’s record shows neither. His approach has empowered terrorists, betrayed allies, and weakened America’s credibility at the exact moment strength and clarity were needed most.
Tom Barrack’s Credentials: Wealth, Access, And Controversy—Not Statesmanship
Tom Barrack’s résumé explains a lot about how we got into this mess. He is not a career diplomat, a regional scholar, a military strategist, or a human rights expert. His primary credential is money—vast amounts of it—and proximity to power.
Barrack made his fortune as a billionaire real estate investor, most famously as the founder of Colony Capital. His career was built on leveraged deals, global investors, and elite relationships, particularly in the Middle East. That background may impress Wall Street, but it does not translate into moral clarity or strategic judgment when dealing with jihadist regimes, ethnic cleansing, and regional war.
Politically, Barrack rose as a major power broker and fundraiser, valued for his connections rather than his expertise. He moved easily among Gulf elites, Turkish power centers, and Western political circles, cultivating access rather than accountability. That access-first mindset shows up clearly in his approach to the Middle East: keep everyone talking, keep capital flowing, and never push too hard on ideology, terror ties, or human rights.
Most troubling is that Barrack has long been surrounded by controversy tied to foreign influence. His name has been publicly linked to allegations that he acted as an informal advocate for Gulf interests within U.S. policy circles—allegations that, regardless of legal outcomes, raise serious questions about judgment, alignment, and perception. Diplomacy depends on trust, and trust collapses when an envoy appears closer to foreign power brokers than to American allies.
Bottom Line
In short, Barrack’s credentials are those of a global dealmaker, not a defender of Western democratic values. He knows how to close transactions, smooth relationships, and sell narratives. What he has not demonstrated is the capacity—or the will—to confront radical Islam, protect minorities, or stand unequivocally with allies like Israel and the Kurds. In a region where clarity saves lives, his background has produced confusion, appeasement, and failure.
We are so screwed.
— Steve
