Tom Barrack
Thomas J. Barrack Jr. (born c. 1948) is an American private equity investor and the founder, former chairman, and CEO of Colony Capital, a Los Angeles-based firm specializing in real estate investments, particularly distressed assets acquired from failed savings and loans institutions in the early 1990s.[1][2]
A longtime associate of Donald Trump, Barrack chaired the 2017 presidential inaugural committee and advised on Middle East policy matters during the transition period.[3][4]
In 2021, he faced federal charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates, including allegations of influencing U.S. policy and making false statements to investigators, but was acquitted on all counts following a 2022 trial.[3][5][6]
In December 2024, President-elect Trump nominated Barrack as United States Ambassador to Turkey, a role he assumed after Senate confirmation, during which he also served briefly as Special Envoy for Syria.[7][2][8]