Longtime Trump friend with ambassadorship reportedly ‘on thin ice’ with administration

National PoliticsFILE - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks in a panel during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, southern Turkey, April 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Riza Ozel, File)AP Photo/Riza OzelBy Howard Koplowitz | hkoplowitz@al.comTom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and one of President Donald Trump’s closest and oldest friends, is reportedly “on thin ice” with the administration, according to MAGA influencer Laura Loomer.Barrack, who first met Trump in the late 1980s when Trump purchased the Plaza Hotel, may be recalled from his post after being blamed for escalating tensions between Israel and Turkey, Loomer said, citing an anonymous source.“Source tells me Ambassador Tom Barrack @USAMBTurkiye is on thin ice with the Trump administration and US State Department. There are internal discussions taking place about recalling him back to the US as some members of the admin believe he is responsible for the recent escalation in tensions between Turkey and Israel,” Loomer posted to X on Monday.“Source tells me there is concern that Barrack doesn’t understand or care to understand the President’s foreign policy,” the MAGA influencer continued.“This comes after he falsely stated on a podcast that Israel was illegally occupying the Golan Heights, despite the fact that President Trump recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel during his first term. I’m told the State Department was bombarded with complaints about Barrack all weekend long.” Loomer, who is Jewish and supports the Israeli government, pushed for Barrack’s ouster, tweeting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “should 100% recall Tom Barrack. “He is awful,” she said of Trump’s longtime friend.Barrack, who also serves as special envoy to Syria, on Sunday walked back his comments from Friday that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of U.N. resolutions, remarks that went against U.S. Trump ‘s position on the disputed territory, the Associated Press reported.Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in 1981. The United Nations and most of the international community consider the territory occupied Syrian land and do not recognize Israel’s annexation of it.In 2019, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the territory, reversing decades of U.S. policy.Barrack now says that was a description of the territory’s historical status, “not an endorsement of the United Nations’ position” on the Golan.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Trump goes viral for bizarrely waving green flag at Freedom 250 Grand Prix: ‘WTF is this?’Trump floats female aide for next press secretary. It’s not Natalie HarpMove over Trump? Alabama state senator says Mobile bridge should honor Jimmy BuffettNatalie Harp’s brother has unexpected reaction to Trump aide’s ‘unhealthy obsession’ with presidentFox News host hurls eyebrow-raising insult at Democrat: ‘Has she met the president?’Howard Koplowitz is AL.com's Breaking & Trending Reporter for afternoons and nights. He has been with AL.com since 2015 and has served in a variety of roles, ranging from coverage of Donald Trump's first...