EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack is pushing back after backlash over remarks seen as equating Israel with Hezbollah, insisting his comments reflect «realism» and not a change in U.S. policy.

Barrack appeared to equate America’s closest ally in the Middle East with a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, suggested Turkey should soon regain access to the F-35 program despite its purchase of Russia’s S-400 system, and argued that only «powerful leadership regimes» have succeeded in the region.

In exclusive written answers to Fox News Digital’s questions, Barrack rejected accusations that he was softening the administration’s stance toward Hezbollah or Iran, and argued that President Donald Trump’s «peace through strength» approach requires a more pragmatic reading of the Middle East.

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Fox News Digital: During your remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum Friday, you described the Israel–Hezbollah ceasefire as a «time out» and said that «everybody has been equally untrustworthy.» How do you reconcile that characterization with the U.S. designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization? 

Does your statement that the goal is «not killing Hezbollah» reflect any shift from the previous «maximum pressure» approach toward a strategy of containment or political inclusion?

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack: Let me be very clear about my remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 17.

When I described the Israel–Hezbollah ceasefire as a ‘time out’ and said that ‘everybody has been equally untrustworthy,’ I was simply stating the obvious reality on the ground. This is realism, not criticism of any side. 

The November 2024 ceasefire and the recent April 2026 ceasefire have repeatedly proven fragile because all parties — Israel, Hezbollah and their backers — have tested the limits in the past. Historical patterns of violations, rearmament and proxy escalation confirm that mutual mistrust is the core challenge.

That mutual mistrust is exactly why this administration brokered the ceasefire in the first place: to stop the senseless killing, create breathing room and build a monitored, enforceable path forward that strengthens Lebanese sovereignty and Israeli security.

This characterization in no way softens our ironclad position: Hezbollah is a designated terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of Americans and countless acts of destabilization. 

We have never trusted them. We acknowledge that within Lebanon itself, the Hezbollah political party is differentiated from Hezbollah the terrorist group, which holds parliamentary seats within the Lebanese government. Political trust in that regard will have to be earned.

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack speaks during a session at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 17, 2026.  (Umit Bektas/Reuters)

My point was straightforward: durable peace requires confronting that mistrust head-on, not pretending it does not exist. This approach fully supports President Trump’s policy of maximum pressure on Iran and its proxies while delivering real results: positioning us to degrade Hezbollah’s terrorist capabilities through a combination of enforcement, Lebanese state authority and the renewal of an economy that can provide a new era of hope to Lebanese communities in both the north and south.

On the goal not being ‘killing Hezbollah,’ I stand by every word. After decades in the region, you cannot eliminate an embedded militia solely by kinetic means when a sovereign state like Iran continues to arm and fund it. Pure ‘mowing the lawn’ has never worked. To the contrary, it often fuels recruitment and prolongs conflict.

Our objective has always been to degrade Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure to the point where diplomacy and a sovereign Lebanese government can take over under Lebanon’s confessional system, reflecting Christian, Sunni and Shiite interests. This is not a shift toward containment or political inclusion of a terrorist group. It is the same ‘maximum pressure plus smart diplomacy’ playbook this administration has used successfully against ISIS and other threats.

We continue to back Israel’s right to defend itself decisively, as Secretary Rubio explicitly affirmed in the current ceasefire terms, while also pushing for an end to the idiocy of endless war. Stopping the bleeding first, then enforcing the win. That is exactly what President Trump and Secretary Rubio achieved with this ceasefire.

No policy changes whatsoever. Just clear, effective execution.

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Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, meets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Baabda, east of Beirut, on July 7, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency Press Office/AP)

Fox News Digital: You described the dispute over Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program as «insane» and suggested the Russian S-400 issue could be resolved within months.

What specific safeguards regarding possession and operability are under consideration to satisfy Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act and address concerns that the Russian S-400 system could compromise sensitive F-35 technology? How do you respond to members of Congress who have threatened to oppose F-16 upgrades or any future F-35 transfer to Turkey until your comments regarding Hezbollah and Israel are clarified?

(For example, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who responded directly to Barrack’s April 2026 remarks by saying Turkey would not receive either F-35s or F-16s. Scott wrote that Turkey «funds Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, hates Israel, and loves Russia and Iran,» adding: «Good luck buying F-35s, F-16s, and other American-made defense platforms.)

Barrack: Calling the prolonged impasse «insane» is blunt common sense. It highlights exactly why the administration is right to pursue a resolution: NATO unity against Russia and China is a core U.S. national security interest.

Turkey remains a vital ally, hosting critical U.S. assets, contributing to NATO missions and countering shared threats. Sanctions and exclusion from the F-35 program, triggered by the S-400 purchase, have strained ties unnecessarily while Russia benefits from the wedge.

The S-400 issue can and should be resolved within months through surgical diplomacy from Secretary Rubio, grounded in the strong personal relationship between President Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Let me be explicit: any resolution will fully satisfy Section 1245 of the NDAA. That means verifiable cessation of possession and operability of the Russian S-400 system, with formal certifications from the secretaries of Defense and State confirming there is no risk of compromise to sensitive F-35 technology.

There will be no shortcuts on American security standards. What I am signaling is that real breakthroughs are imminent: restoring Turkey’s role in the F-35 ecosystem, strengthening NATO interoperability, boosting U.S. industry and denying Russia leverage.

This is classic Trump deal-making: enforce the law, protect our technology and rebuild alliances that advance American strength.

In every one of these statements, I am speaking directly in support of this administration’s foreign policy. We believe in peace through strength, candid assessment of realities and delivering results that protect U.S. interests without dragging America into endless conflicts.

These comments reflect that approach: maximum leverage against terrorists, pragmatic engagement with key partners like Turkey and a clear-eyed path to greater stability in a volatile region.»

Another point of contention was Barrack’s repeated argument that strong centralized rule, rather than Western-style democracy, has been the most successful model in the Middle East. Reiterating comments he had made previously, Barrack said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 17: «The only thing that’s worked, the only thing, are these powerful leadership regimes: either benevolent monarchies, the kind of monarchical republic.

IRAN’S COLLAPSE OR SURVIVAL HINGES ON ONE CHOICE INSIDE THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARD

Turkey was removed from the American F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which U.S. officials warned could allow Moscow to gather intelligence on the stealth fighter. 

Under Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Turkey cannot rejoin the program unless the president certifies to Congress that Ankara no longer possesses or operates the S-400 and that the system poses no risk to the F-35.

Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa met with U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack at the People’s Palace in Damascus on Jan. 18, 2026. (Syrian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu)

Fox News Digital: You said that «powerful leadership regimes» are the only structures that have worked in the Middle East. 

Does that statement reflect a broader shift away from longstanding U.S. support for democratic governance and human rights in the region?

Barrack: When I said that ‘powerful leadership regimes,’ whether benevolent monarchies or the kind of monarchical republics seen elsewhere in the region, are the only structures that have actually worked in the Middle East, I was speaking from decades of hard-earned observation, not ideology.

Look at the track record. Countries that tried to adopt Western-style democracy quickly after the Arab Spring largely failed, often descending into chaos, civil war or new forms of authoritarianism.

Meanwhile, stable, results-oriented leadership in places like the Gulf monarchies has delivered security, economic growth, modernization and real improvements in people’s lives.

Israel, which one can rightly point to as a vibrant democracy in the region, stands as a notable outlier that has thrived under extremely strong, bold leadership capable of delivering security and prosperity under extraordinary challenges, even as some critics describe it as a «flawed democracy.»

Turkey, operating as a presidential republic with regular multiparty elections, also demonstrates how strong, centralized leadership under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has delivered stability, economic dynamism and assertive regional influence, though critics have described it as a hybrid regime with strong authoritarian tendencies.

This is not a change in U.S. policy away from supporting democratic governance and human rights. It is a realistic assessment of what produces stability so that human rights and prosperity can take root.

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Warren Stephens, Tom Barrack, and Tilman Fertitta sit for their confirmation hearings. (Getty Images)

President Trump’s approach has always been peace through strength: deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. We support effective governance that prevents chaos, counters terrorism and creates conditions for long-term progress.

That includes backing strong, accountable leaders who deliver for their people, whether in monarchies that have modernized successfully or in evolving systems that prioritize security and opportunity over imported models that have repeatedly collapsed.

Iran seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz hours after President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire, as confrontations at sea continued under the truce.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the vessels, identified as the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, were operating without proper authorization and had tampered with navigation systems, accusations that could not be independently verified. The ships had earlier reported coming under fire near the strait, underscoring the increasingly volatile conditions in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

Both ships are managed by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

The Guard attacked a third ship, identified as the Euphoria, which had become «stranded» on the Iranian coast, Iranian media reported.

In a turn of events Tuesday, Trump announced he would extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran. For how long is unclear, but a White House official told Fox News it would be several days. 

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Despite heavy U.S. strikes that officials say severely degraded Iran’s conventional navy, Tehran maintains maritime capability through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ fleet of fast-attack boats used for harassment and boarding operations in the narrow strait.

«We should think in the thousands,» Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Fox News Digital. «If you include very small boats up to more capable fast-attack craft, the total could reach 3,000 to 4,000 vessels.»

Those forces have been used to harass commercial ships, force them to stop, and take them into custody. Iranian state media said similar tactics were used when Revolutionary Guard units attacked multiple vessels before escorting at least two into Iranian waters.

The continued attacks highlight a gap between battlefield claims and reality.

In a Truth Social post April 13, Trump said, «Iran’s Navy is obliterated. It is laying at the bottom of the sea,» adding that U.S. forces did not need to target Iran’s «little fast-attack boats» because they were not a threat.

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But those smaller vessels, long a cornerstone of Iran’s asymmetric strategy, are now central to its ability to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The seizures mark the latest escalation in a widening maritime standoff between Iran and Washington. 

Both sides have targeted commercial and cargo vessels as part of a broader pressure campaign tied to stalled negotiations. U.S. forces have also moved to seize at least one Iranian-linked vessel in the region, with each side accusing the other of violating the terms of a fragile ceasefire.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for global oil shipments, with roughly 20% of the world’s supply passing through it. Traffic has slowed dramatically as ships reroute or avoid the area amid gunfire, seizures and conflicting directives from both militaries.

In a series of Truth Social posts Tuesday night, Trump claimed Iran privately wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened despite public threats to close it.

«Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day (which is, therefore, what they are losing if it is closed!),» he wrote.

The Iranian-flagged Touska cargo ship pours smoke out after U.S. forces launched missiles at its control room following its violation of the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. (U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM))

«But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!»

Trump said he agreed to extend the ceasefire at the request of Pakistani officials while waiting for Iran’s leadership to present a unified position in negotiations.

«Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,» Trump wrote on Truth Social.

«I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,» he added.

Plans for renewed peace talks remain in limbo, with Iran signaling it may not participate in a second round of negotiations while the U.S. maintains its naval blockade. The blockade remains a key sticking point driving the confrontation at sea.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the naval blockade an «act of war,» accusing Washington of violating the ceasefire.

«Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation,» he wrote on X.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the naval blockade an «act of war,» accusing Washington of violating the ceasefire. (Vahid Salemi/AP)

The comments came after U.S. forces moved to seize Iran’s M/V Touska vessel on Monday, which Araghchi described as «an act of piracy.»

The seizures come as U.S.-Iran diplomacy appears increasingly uncertain, with a planned second round of talks in Islamabad thrown into doubt. Vice President JD Vance, who had been expected to lead the U.S. delegation, remained in Washington after Iran signaled it would not participate, scrapping plans for the delegation to travel to Pakistan.

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The abrupt shift followed a day of mixed signals from Trump, who said Tuesday morning he did not want to extend the ceasefire as its deadline approached, warning time for negotiations was running out. By the afternoon, however, he reversed course and announced he would extend the truce indefinitely to allow more time for diplomacy.

The reversal has further clouded fragile negotiations. No date has been set for renewed talks, and Iranian officials continue to insist they will not engage while the U.S. maintains its naval blockade. The confrontation has increasingly shifted from the negotiating table to the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, where the risk of miscalculation is rising.

Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. 

El ministro de Seguridad, Gerzon Velásquez, reveló que el Estado hondureño pone en marcha un plan integral orientado a atacar directamente las economías del crimen organizado.

“No solamente se está capturando gente, les estamos quitando su logística, su dinero y sus bienes”, afirma el funcionario.

La estrategia, prevista para el período 2026-2030, se sustenta en tres pilares: control territorial en zonas de alta incidencia, ataques a las economías criminales y fortalecimiento de la investigación e inteligencia.

Velásquez explica que el control territorial se basa en pruebas y análisis de datos, mientras que el componente financiero busca desarticular la logística de las estructuras delictivas mediante el decomiso de bienes y activos.

El anuncio ocurre en medio de un aumento de la violencia. La ASJ reporta al menos 624 homicidios hasta el 10 de abril de 2026, un incremento del 5 % frente al año anterior. Honduras permanece entre los países más violentos de la región. La extorsión, el narcotráfico y el control territorial de pandillas permanecen como factores clave en la dinámica criminal.

Especialistas en seguridad consideran que atacar las finanzas del crimen organizado es una estrategia necesaria, pero advierten que no puede funcionar de manera aislada.

Las acciones represivas requieren apoyo en inteligencia, investigación y fortalecimiento institucional, ya que las estructuras criminales suelen reorganizarse de manera rápida si no se golpean por completo sus redes.

El analista Fernando Gonzáles sostiene que muchas estrategias actuales en la región responden a modelos de “mano dura”, similares a los implementados en otros países, aunque enfatiza la necesidad de adaptación al contexto local.

Otros expertos agregan que la falta de políticas integrales y sostenidas limita los resultados, destacando que el combate al crimen organizado exige no solo operativos policiales, sino también medidas sociales y económicas de prevención.

A nivel regional, especialistas consultados aseguran que el crimen organizado evoluciona hacia estructuras más complejas y diversificadas, por lo que las respuestas estatales deben ser igualmente integrales, combinando control territorial, inteligencia financiera y cooperación internacional.

Entre los principales retos para el plan de seguridad figuran la sostenibilidad en el tiempo, la coordinación entre instituciones estatales, la lucha contra la corrupción e impunidad y el respeto a los derechos humanos en los operativos.

Pruebas recientes muestran que medidas como los estados de excepción generan resultados mixtos, pues logran reducciones parciales de la violencia y provocan cuestionamientos sobre su efectividad e impacto. Esta herramienta sigue siendo cuestionada por organismos de derechos humanos, que sostienen que “el estado de excepción sin resultados precisos limita los derechos ciudadanos”, según las observaciones de la organización Cristosal.

El Gobierno afirma que la estrategia busca reducir los índices delictivos, recuperar la paz y la confianza ciudadana. Analistas coinciden en que el éxito depende de la implementación efectiva, la transparencia institucional y la capacidad estatal de desarticular integralmente las redes criminales que operan en el país.

El contexto en el que surge esta estrategia refleja una problemática estructural. Datos del Observatorio de la Violencia de la UNAH señalan que Honduras continúa enfrentando altos niveles de criminalidad, pese a reducciones registradas en años recientes.