Tom Barrack addresses criticism over his remarks on Hezbollah, Turkey: What to know
Tom Barrack, a senior figure within the Trump administration, was recently criticized by a member of the House for some of his past statements on Hezbollah.
US Ambassador to Turkey and presidential envoy to Iraq and Syria, Tom Barrack, clarified on Thursday remarks he recently made about the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, relations with Ankara and governments in the region following criticism from a member of Congress.
What happened: Barrack addressed the Antalya Policy Forum in Turkey in April and made a number of comments that garnered attention. He said the United States needs a “path” with Hezbollah and that “the path has to be not killing Hezbollah.”
The diplomat described the Iran-backed Lebanese group, which is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, as a “political organization,” in addition to a military one, and said Israel and Hezbollah were “equally untrustworthy.”
At the time, Israel and Hezbollah were engaged in cross-border fighting.
