24.04.2026 00:13
US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria Tom Barrack, who drew reactions at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum with his remarks that 'the Middle East only respects power,' defended his statement. Barrack said, 'When talking about these, I was speaking not from ideology but from decades of hard-earned observations.'
The U.S. Ambassador to Ankara and President Donald Trump's Special Representative for Syria, Tom Barrack, defended his controversial remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
At the forum, Barrack drew criticism with his words, 'This region of the world only respects one thing: power. If you fail to show strength and display weakness, you lose.' In response to questions from U.S.-based Fox News Digital, he said, 'We believe in peace through strength, honest consideration of the facts, and delivering outcomes that protect U.S. interests without dragging America into endless wars.'
"I WAS SPEAKING FROM DECADES OF HARD-EARNED OBSERVATIONS"
The U.S. diplomat had argued that the only governments that can survive in the Middle East are monarchical 'strong leadership regimes.' Regarding these remarks, Barrack said, 'When I talked about these, I was speaking not from ideology but from decades of hard-earned observations.'
Barrack stated that countries that adopted Western-style democracy after the uprisings known as the Arab Spring largely succumbed to 'chaos, civil war, and new forms of authoritarianism.' In contrast, 'results-oriented' governments, such as the monarchical Gulf states, thrived, he argued.
"TÜRKİYE PROVIDES ASSERTIVE REGIONAL INFLUENCE"
Barrack cited Türkiye and Israel as examples of countries developing under 'strong leaders.'
The diplomat argued that despite criticism over democratic values, both countries have made progress and said the following about Türkiye: 'Türkiye, governed as a republic with a presidential system through regular multiparty elections, demonstrates that the strong and centralized leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has brought stability, economic dynamism, and assertive regional influence; however, critics describe it as a hybrid regime with strong authoritarian tendencies.'
"TÜRKİYE'S REMOVAL FROM THE F-35 PROGRAM STRAINED RELATIONS UNNECESSARILY"
In a written statement to Fox News Digital, Tom Barrack also emphasized that Türkiye could return to the F-35 program within months. The U.S. diplomat said, 'Türkiye remains a key ally hosting vital U.S. assets, contributing to NATO missions, and confronting common threats.'
Barrack stated that sanctions on Ankara and Türkiye's removal from the F-35 program 'unnecessarily strained relations' and that Russia benefited from this situation. Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system.
The U.S. began imposing sanctions on Türkiye under the 'Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act' (CAATSA) in December 2020. In his responses to Fox News Digital, Tom Barrack said, 'The S-400 issue can and should be resolved within months through sensitive diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.'
Barrack emphasized that such a solution would be based on the 'strong personal relationship' between President Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump.
"REAL BREAKTHROUGHS WILL HAPPEN SOON"
The U.S. diplomat also stated: 'What I am pointing to is that real breakthroughs will happen soon: reestablishing Türkiye's role in the F-35 ecosystem, strengthening NATO interoperability, supporting U.S. industry, and preventing Russian influence.'
Barrack added that any resolution on the F-35 issue would comply with relevant U.S. legislation:
'This means confirmation that the possession and operational capability of the Russian S-400 system has ended and official certification by the Secretaries of Defense and State that there is no risk of danger to sensitive F-35 technology.'
According to the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, for Türkiye to participate in the F-35 program, the U.S. President must formally notify Congress that Türkiye does not possess the S-400s or that the system does not pose a threat to the F-35s.