By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, December 10, 2025
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack is facing mounting criticism from Republican lawmakers following remarks he made at the Doha Forum suggesting Israel may not be a true democracy.
The ambassador, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump and now Washington’s top diplomat in Ankara, argued that while Israel “can claim that it’s a democracy,” governance in the Middle East has historically favored “a benevolent monarchy.”
Several GOP senators have reacted swiftly to Barrack’s comments. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) called the ambassador “very incorrect,” asserting that Israel remains “the only democracy in the Middle East.”
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) stated that Israel “clearly functions as a democracy with vibrant political debate” and added that its governing institutions “are not in question.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) defended Israel’s system, calling it “a strong democracy and one of America’s closest allies,” and said Barrack’s comments “do not reflect the reality on the ground.”
Barrack’s remarks come at a sensitive moment for U.S.-Israel relations and his own diplomatic role. Confirmed earlier this year as ambassador to Turkey, he has taken an unusually public role in shaping discussions on regional security. The ambassador has also drawn attention for criticizing certain Israeli military actions and suggesting long-term peace in the region may be elusive.
Republican lawmakers’ swift pushback reflects broader concerns about U.S. messaging abroad, particularly from an ambassador stationed in a strategically important NATO ally like Turkey.
