Why Did the U.S. Appoint a Special Envoy to Syria Instead of Reopening Its Embassy in Damascus?

The United States expanded its political momentum toward the new Syria after President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on the country.

As part of this shift, Washington appointed its ambassador to Ankara, Thomas Barrack, as the U.S. special envoy to Syria on May 23, 2025, while he continues to serve in his current role.

Trump’s Special Envoy to Syria

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara issued a statement announcing Ambassador Thomas Barrack’s appointment as Special Envoy to Syria. “The cessation of sanctions against Syria will preserve the integrity of our primary objective — the enduring defeat of ISIS — and will give the people of Syria a chance for a better future,” Barrack said.

“In this way, we, together with regional partners including Turkiye and the Gulf, are enabling the Syrian government to restore peace, security, and the hope of prosperity. In the words of the President, we will work together, and we will succeed together.”

“President Trump has outlined his clear vision of a prosperous Middle East and a stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors,” he added.

Barrack noted that on May 13, 2025, Trump committed to lifting the United States’ crippling sanctions against Syria to enable the new government to stabilize the country.

“As President Trump’s representative in Turkiye, I am proud to assume the role of the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and support Secretary Rubio in the realization of the President’s vision.”

Barrack also highlighted that, in coordination with regional partners—including Turkiye and the Gulf states—the U.S. has helped Syria’s government restore hope for peace, security, and prosperity. “In the words of the President, we will work together, and we will succeed together,” he concluded.

Aged 78, Thomas Barrack is a billionaire investor with long-standing business ties in the Gulf. A close confidant of Donald Trump, he is the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, born in Los Angeles. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and a law degree from the University of San Diego.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed him Deputy Undersecretary of the Interior. In 2016, Trump chose him to chair the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Barrack’s dual role is expected to sharpen the U.S. policy approach toward post-Assad Syria. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, Washington quickly signaled a willingness to re-engage positively in the Middle East.

That shift became clear when Trump, during a speech in the Saudi capital on May 13—attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—announced the U.S. would lift sanctions on Syria. The decision caught much of the world, and even American officials, by surprise.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed Trump’s move as a “bold and historic decision.” The next day, al-Sharaa traveled to Riyadh and met with Trump in a meeting attended by bin Salman and joined via phone by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Syria had been under multiple U.S. sanctions programs—starting in 1979 and expanding in 2003 under the “Syria Accountability Act.” Most of the sanctions, however, were imposed after the 2011 uprising, when Assad’s regime responded with brutal force, resulting in over half a million deaths and widespread destruction of infrastructure.

In 2020, Washington imposed further sanctions under the “Caesar Act,” targeting Assad’s inner circle, including his wife Asma, and barring any entity from engaging with the regime. The law also restricted aid for reconstruction and targeted key sectors such as construction, oil, and gas.

As Trump’s pick for Ankara ambassador on May 5, 2025, Barrack is now expected to play a central role in dismantling this complex sanctions regime, particularly after attending the U.S.-Turkiye Working Group on Syria in Washington on May 20.

On May 24, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent officially lifted the economic sanctions on Syria.

Bessent said Syria must continue working toward becoming a stable and peaceful state, expressing hope that today’s actions put the country on a path to a brighter, more prosperous, and secure future.

According to the Treasury Department, the sanctions relief applies to the new Syrian government, provided it does not harbor terrorist organizations and ensures the safety of ethnic and religious minorities.

Simultaneously, the U.S. State Department issued a sanctions exemption allowing foreign partners and allies to participate in Syria’s reconstruction, effectively giving companies a green light to do business in the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a May 23 statement that the waiver would facilitate the delivery of electricity, water, energy, and sanitation services, and enable a more effective humanitarian response throughout Syria.

The waiver also allows new investments, financial services, and transactions involving Syrian petroleum products.

“Today’s actions represent the first step in delivering on the President’s vision of a new relationship between Syria and the United States,” he added.

“President Trump is providing the Syrian government with the chance to promote peace and stability, both within Syria and in Syria’s relations with its neighbors.” 

A Direct Link

U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack will oversee the implementation and follow-up of U.S. decisions and exemptions related to Syria, particularly those concerning sanctions.

On May 23, the State Department announced a 180-day exemption from the Caesar Act sanctions, which had prohibited states, entities, and individuals from engaging with Syria. This exemption allows international partners to invest in and contribute to Syria’s reconstruction.

Commenting on the move, Syrian researcher Abbas Sharifa said appointing a U.S. special envoy to Syria signals “the presence of a direct and formal hotline between Damascus and Washington.”

“This appointment marks a shift from indirect communication to an official and direct diplomatic relationship, without intermediaries or third parties. No more indirect negotiations through security channels,” he told Al-Estiklal.

“There is now a diplomatic relationship led by Thomas Barrack, aimed at establishing economic partnerships between the United States and Syria in the next phase.”

Sharifa also emphasized that Barrack’s appointment is part of implementing Trump’s vision to lift sanctions and to follow up on the practical steps stemming from the historic decision announced in Saudi Arabia.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on May 20: “We want to help that government succeed because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would of course destabilize the entire region.”

“We are going to allow our people on the ground – both our embassy personnel at the Damascus embassy located in Turkiye and, for the short period of time, at least during the interim, our ambassador in Turkiye – to work with local officials there to make determinations about what kind of aid they need.”

When asked why the U.S. Embassy in Syria has not yet reopened, Rubio indicated that the continued closure is primarily due to security concerns, noting that while the transitional authorities are not seen as a threat, the presence of other actors on the ground necessitates caution.

A Strategic Vision

Political analyst Mohammed al-Baqai told Al-Estiklal that recent developments are “a natural step following the U.S. decision to engage with Syria—an effort capped by Trump’s meeting with [President] al-Sharaa in Riyadh, which came after Trump lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria.”

“Today, numerous U.S. donor organizations have begun assessing needs within Syria. This highlights the importance of appointing a special U.S. envoy to Syria at this stage—someone who can facilitate their activities and play a major role in shaping a strategic vision for U.S.-Syria relations.”

Al-Baqai noted that the appointment of Thomas Barrack precedes the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus and the formal naming of an ambassador. While Washington still harbors security concerns, the rapid pace of American engagement with Syria suggests that the appointment of a U.S. ambassador in Damascus is likely imminent.

The swift U.S. rapprochement with the new Syrian government demands coordinated efforts, led by a special envoy, to address existing challenges, especially as Washington still wields considerable influence inside the country.

The United States continues to back the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which control roughly one-third of Syrian territory. Washington has been engaged in difficult talks with Damascus over integrating the SDF. Envoy Thomas Barrack is expected to play a key role in addressing the SDF’s obstructive role in preventing the unification of Syria under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Observers believe Barrack’s prior experience as ambassador to Ankara positions him well to help bridge gaps between Damascus and the SDF. This comes particularly as the U.S. announced in May 2025 that the management of prisons housing ISIS fighters in al-Hasakah, northeastern Syria, would be transferred from the SDF to the Syrian government.

On May 24, a Syrian government delegation—accompanied by officials from the U.S.-led international coalition—visited al-Hasakah to inspect camps and prisons housing ISIS members and their families.

That same day, President al-Sharaa visited Istanbul, where he held separate meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack.

Following his meeting, Barrack said he met with President Sharaa and Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shaibani in Istanbul to carry out President Trump’s bold decision to chart a path toward peace and prosperity in Syria.

He noted that the timely and deliberate lifting of sanctions by the United States played a crucial role in enabling regional partners to deliver much-needed support—financial, logistical, and energy-related—to help alleviate the hardships faced by the Syrian population. 

Barrack also emphasized that the broader objective of the Trump administration is to support the new government in fostering an environment where Syrians can move beyond mere survival toward long-term growth and prosperity.

He stressed that lifting sanctions helps preserve the United States’ core objective—“the enduring defeat of ISIS.”

Barrack also commended President al-Sharaa for taking concrete steps to implement Trump’s directives regarding foreign terrorist fighters, counter-ISIS measures, relations with “Israel,” and the handling of camps and detention centers in northeastern Syria.

He concluded by confirming that he and President al-Sharaa had agreed to continue crucial dialogues and coordinate efforts to develop private-sector investments in Syria’s economy, including contributions from regional and international partners such as Turkiye, the Gulf states, Europe, and the United States.