Tiny Red HandsBack

Thomas J. Barrack Jr.

Official Department of State portrait of Thomas Barrack in 2025.
Source: United States Department of State · Rights/use: Public domain under 17 U.S.C. § 105 as a United States federal government work · Modified: cropped and resized
PersonExternal ties & fallout7 relationships
Relationship to TrumpLongtime Trump friend and business associate; Trump inaugural chairbusiness · personal · political / 2 sources

Status

  1. Chaired Trump's 2017 presidential inaugural committeerelationship / 2021-07-201 source · Lead source
  2. Confirmed U.S. ambassador to Turkeyoffice / 2025-04-29–2025-04-292 sources · Lead source

Exact relationships

  1. Donald J. Trump

    Relationship to TrumpLongtime Trump friend and business associate; Trump inaugural chair

    businesspersonalpoliticalOpen evidence · 2 sourcesdocumented
  2. Donald J. Trump

    Trump adviser and inaugural chair acquitted

    legalpoliticalOpen evidence · 1 sourcedocumented
  3. Donald J. Trump

    Trump adviser and inaugural chair in UAE-agent prosecution

    legalpoliticalOpen evidence · 1 sourcecharged
  4. Donald J. Trump

    Trump ambassador nominee confirmed by Senate

    politicalOpen evidence · 2 sourcesdocumented
  5. Donald J. Trump

    Trump associate linked to proposed Colony access strategy

    businesspoliticalOpen evidence · 1 sourcereported
  6. Donald J. Trump

    Trump-selected ambassador to Turkey

    politicalOpen evidence · 1 sourcedocumented
  7. Donald J. Trump

    had presidential inaugural committee chaired by

    legalpoliticalOpen evidence · 1 sourcecharged

Record timeline

  1. Trump put longtime business associate Thomas Barrack in charge of his inaugural committeeHistorical role concluded after the 2017 inaugurationLongtime Trump friend and business associate; Trump inaugural chair · documented · 2 sources
  2. Barrack's firm drafted a plan to turn Trump-administration access into investment leadsInvestigative report published; Colony disputed that the plan was implementedTrump associate linked to proposed Colony access strategy · reported · 1 source
  3. Federal prosecutors charged Trump's inaugural chair in a UAE-agent caseAll counts later ended in acquittalTrump adviser and inaugural chair in UAE-agent prosecution · charged · 1 source
  4. Trump's inaugural chair was charged as a covert UAE agent—and acquitted on every countAcquitted on all counts by a federal jury on November 4, 2022.had presidential inaugural committee chaired by · charged · 1 source
  5. Federal jury acquitted Barrack on every countAcquitted on all countsTrump adviser and inaugural chair acquitted · documented · 1 source
  6. Trump selected Thomas Barrack as ambassador to TurkeyNomination later confirmed by the SenateTrump-selected ambassador to Turkey · documented · 1 source
  7. Senate confirmed Barrack as ambassador to Turkey, 60–36Nomination confirmedTrump ambassador nominee confirmed by Senate · documented · 2 sources