Ankara, May 6, 2025 – The Europe Today: The newly appointed United States Ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, arrived in Ankara on Monday with a clear message from President Donald Trump: to raise the Türkiye–US alliance to the level “it deserves.”
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival at Esenboğa Airport, Barrack expressed his honour at being in the land of his ancestors and conveyed President Trump’s commitment to strengthening ties between the two long-time NATO allies. “I come with a really simple message from President Trump… his desire to raise the level of the alliance from Türkiye and the United States to the level that it deserves,” Barrack said.
He underscored the historically strong ties between Washington and Ankara, describing them as a “great relationship,” while expressing optimism that this relationship could evolve into something “extraordinary.” “The president’s goal is to elevate [our partnership] through the people, through both great leaderships of great nations, to find an accelerated peace and prosperity that make Türkiye and the United States greater — and the world better,” he added.
Barrack’s arrival comes at a pivotal time in Türkiye–US relations, marked by geopolitical shifts and evolving regional dynamics. His appointment was confirmed by the US Senate last week in a 60–36 vote.
Earlier in the day, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shared that he had held a “very productive, comprehensive, and sincere” phone conversation with President Trump. Writing on social media platform X, Erdoğan said the call reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation, particularly in the fields of the defence industry and trade. “I hope to meet my friend Trump in the near future,” he added, expressing optimism about the direction of bilateral ties.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Barrack, a seasoned businessman and longtime confidant of President Trump, emphasised Türkiye’s strategic importance as a key US ally in the region. At 78, Barrack brings decades of political and business experience. He chaired Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee and was a senior advisor during the 2016 campaign.
He succeeds Ambassador Jeff Flake, who served in Ankara from January 2022 until September 2024. The ambassadorial post had remained vacant since Flake’s departure.
In addition to bilateral matters, the two presidents also discussed the ongoing war in Gaza, as well as other regional and global developments, reaffirming their intention to cooperate closely on pressing international issues.
