With Tom Barrack appointed as the new U.S. ambassador to Turkiye, President Trump is seeking to reposition Ankara as a key U.S. strategic partner and a counterweight to Iranian and Russian influence in the region.

Axar.az, citing JP, reports that Barrack’s mandate includes strengthening economic and military ties, aligning on regional conflicts, and involving Turkiye in energy projects like the EastMed pipeline.

Despite Erdoğan’s harsh public rhetoric, Turkiye is quietly engaging in backchannel diplomacy with Israel, as seen in their recent deconfliction talks in Azerbaijan.

The article argues that Trump and Erdoğan’s pragmatic cooperation masks self-serving motives, sidelining Arab interests in a broader geopolitical power play.