Washington: Media leaks suggest that Tom Barrack has been summoned to Washington following his remarks about the Syrian Golan Heights and may not return to Trkiye. The US State Department summoned its ambassador to Ankara, Tom Barrack, to Washington this week for consultations following his remarks about the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, according to Laura Loomer, a journalist close to US President Donald Trump.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Loomer stated in a post on the X platform Monday evening that Barrack’s summons came “after he caused an international crisis last weekend and nearly sparked a regional war between Israel, Turkey, and Syria by falsely accusing Israel of illegally occupying the Golan Heights.” Loomer quoted a State Department source as saying about Barrack, “We want him gone so badly that we might even hire a moving company to pack his bags.”

The journalist indicated that Barrack “may not be able to return to Turkey.” Earlier, Loomer described Barrack as “the worst ambassador President Trump has ever nominated,” arguing that he should resign due to what she termed his “lack of understanding of US foreign policy.”

Barak, who serves as the US envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey, stated last Friday in a press interview that Israel “continues to occupy the Syrian Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions and the international order, which stipulates that the Golan is Syrian territory.” After his statement sparked a wave of criticism and calls for his dismissal in the United States, Barak retracted his remarks, asserting that he was describing the historical situation of the region, “and not endorsing the UN position” on the Golan. He added, “US policy on the Golan was established by President Trump in 2019, and it has not changed.”

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the June 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. The UN and most of the international community consider the area occupied Syrian territory and do not recognize Israel’s annexation. In 2019, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the area, reversing decades of US policy.