Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Ankara, reversed course on his comments about the Golan H...

Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Ankara, reversed course on his comments about the Golan Heights after facing sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers and allies of President Trump. Barrack told the Associated Press that U.S. policy recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, set by Trump in 2019, "remains unchanged." The walkback came days after he appeared to describe the territory as occupied Syrian land, saying Israel holds it "against all international order." The original comments drew immediate fire. Far-right commentator Laura Loomer, a close friend of Trump, called on Barrack to resign, writing that he showed "a lack of understanding of U.S. foreign policy." Republican Senator Rick Scott piled on, reminding Barrack that he was confirmed by the Senate to implement Trump's agenda, not undermine it. "President Trump has been CLEAR about Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights for years," Scott wrote. Israel seized the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed the territory in 1981. For decades no country recognized the annexation, until Trump's 2019 proclamation broke with international consensus. The controversy does not stop there. Barrack also drew criticism for his response to Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian air base last week. In an interview, he suggested the strikes may have been designed to provoke Turkey, which backs the Syrian government, describing it as "a very aggressive but perhaps widely accepted pre-election idea." The remarks, taken together, put Barrack in an uncomfortable position within the administration at a moment when U.S. policy in Syria and the broader Middle East remains tightly contested. #GolânHeights #Syria #USForeignPolicy