What’s the Ottoman link of Tom Barrack, Trump’s ambassador pick to Turkey?

Towards the turn of the 19th century, Joseph Barrack – a Lebanese Christian – arrived in the US from Zahle [Bekaa] in present-day Lebanon – then part of the Ottoman Empire.

The full TRTWORLD report

Tom Barrack is ashamed of his Arabic background, and to distance himself from his descent, he calls people from the Arabic region uncivilised, animalistic … camel riders.

US ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack (L) and Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus (R) hold a press conference at al Babdaa Palace in Beirut, Lebanon on August 26, 2025.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack on Tuesday sparked outrage in Lebanon after describing the behavior of journalists as “animalistic” during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Beirut.