In a Senate hearing marked by bipartisan scrutiny of Turkey’s regional conduct, US ambassador nominee Tom Barrack said he would advise Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to avoid escalating tensions with US President Donald Trump.
“Don’t get on a collision course with President Trump. That would not be a wise direction,” Barrack said his advice would be to Erdoğan during his Senate confirmation hearing,
Barrack’s remarks came in response to questioning from Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from the state of Texas who condemned Turkey’s support for International Criminal Court (ICC) actions against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In May the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials over alleged war crimes in Gaza, a move condemned by the US government and lawmakers as illegitimate.
Cruz called the ICC warrants “disgraceful,” “illegitimate” and “breathtakingly dangerous to America’s national security interests,” pointing to Erdoğan’s endorsement of the ICC campaign and his meeting with Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan as evidence of Ankara’s alignment with efforts to prosecute Israel over its war against Hamas.
Since October 2023 Israel has conducted a military campaign in the Gaza Strip, resulting in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide. In January 2024 the ICJ issued provisional measures, ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts and to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
In early 2025, President Trump proposed a controversial plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries and have the US assume control of the territory for redevelopment — a plan endorsed by Netanyahu but met with widespread international condemnation.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing reflected growing bipartisan frustration with Ankara’s regional policies, particularly its military posture in Syria, ongoing relationship with Hamas and purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems in defiance of NATO norms and US law.
In his opening statement Barrack presented a deeply personal and poetic account of his family’s immigrant journey from the Ottoman region to the United States, portraying his nomination as a symbolic return to his ancestral homeland. He praised Turkey as “a valued NATO partner” at the “strategic crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East” but made clear that future cooperation would hinge on Turkey’s willingness to realign with US strategic priorities.
Barrack acknowledged Turkey’s positive contributions to NATO — including hosting bases in İncirlik and İzmir, supplying Ukraine with Bayraktar drones and mediating the Black Sea grain initiative to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports. However, he also stressed the need for a “firm and structured process” in US-Turkey relations, warning that diplomatic efforts must focus on consistent messaging and the elimination of “interferences over time.”
In response to Cruz’s concerns about Turkish support for the ICC, Barrack said his role would be to enforce existing US policies, not make them. “The practices and policies of the United States, of President Trump, and of this body are my GPS,” he said. “I’m not a policymaker. I’m an executor of policy.”
He emphasized the importance of Trump’s executive order authorizing sanctions on ICC personnel who investigate US or allied personnel without consent. “Those sanctions were long overdue,” he said, calling for their enforcement and possible expansion.
Barrack also faced questions from Senator James Risch of Idaho, the committee’s chairman, who called Turkey “the most challenging ally” and cited Erdoğan’s refusal to relinquish the Russian S-400 missile defense system. “They’ve been paid for,” Risch said of the F-35 fighter jets purchased by Turkey, “but they’re not moving until those S-400s are gone.”
In response, Barrack avoided directly criticizing Erdoğan but said he would support a whole-of-government strategy to resolve tensions, particularly in Syria, where Turkish-backed forces have aligned with the Damascus government.
Following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria remains unstable, with a transitional government struggling to assert control amid a Turkish military presence in the north, US-backed Kurdish forces fighting against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the northeast and lingering influence from Russia and Iran.
“The Rubik’s Cube of issues with which we are confronted is enormous,” he said, citing the presence of ISIL prisoners, family members and tensions between Kurdish and Turkish forces.
Asked by Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada how he would ensure that Turkey stops offering sanctuary to Hamas and improves relations with Israel, Barrack vowed to maintain “constant dialogue, constant pressure and constant, consistent focus” with the Erdoğan government.
When Rosen pressed him on Turkish efforts to establish a military base in Syria, he demurred, saying he lacked access to classified intelligence but promised to work closely with the committee.
On trade, Barrack praised the potential of the US-Turkey economic relationship, calling for revitalized energy cooperation and partnerships in aerospace, defense and media.
“Türkiye, as a new Spice Road, can be a re-shipping terminal,” he said, referring to Turkish LNG ports that now import 60 percent of their supply from US companies like Cheniere and ExxonMobil. He said he believed the $100 billion annual trade goal set by Trump and Erdoğan was achievable — up from $40 billion today.
But it was the geopolitical and human rights issues that drew the sharpest lines between Barrack’s diplomatic optimism and senators’ skepticism.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland rebuked Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s cautious response to the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan’s main political rival. Van Hollen accused the administration of parroting Erdoğan’s focus on “stability” at the expense of democracy and human rights.
“Stability is always the priority of authoritarian leaders,” Van Hollen said. “What has set America apart is that we’ve also been full-throated in our support for democracy.”
Barrack responded carefully, declining to weigh in directly on the arrest or on the role of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), again citing a lack of access to classified information. Still, he pledged to engage with lawmakers and respect bipartisan concerns, particularly around Kurdish allies. “Diplomacy is the last stop before blood on the boots,” he said.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire echoed Van Hollen’s concerns and emphasized that US military leaders had praised the SDF during a 2018 visit to Syria. “I don’t think we should feel uncomfortable acknowledging that,” she said, referring to bipartisan support for Kurdish forces.
Senator Rick Scott of Florida pushed Barrack on whether he believed it was possible to bring Turkey back into alignment as a “great NATO ally.” Barrack replied in the affirmative, likening himself to “a small hammer” committed to chipping away at obstacles. “Maybe this is the moment for sanity,” he said, adding, “If I could be some kind of litmus test — offering some clarity to that — I would be elated.”
Thomas J. Barrack Jr., born on April 28, 1947, in Culver City, California, is a private equity real estate investor and the founder of Colony Capital. He has been a close friend and ally of the US president, serving as chairman of Trump’s 2016 inaugural committee. In December 2024 Barrack was nominated by Trump to serve as the United States ambassador to Turkey.