Trump faces MAGA backlash over promotion of Epstein friend to key Mideast role

Donald Trump is facing pushback from within his own base after elevating Tom Barrack, a longtime Trump friend and fundraiser who was previously charged — and acquitted — of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates, to a key Middle East envoy role. Critics on the right are raising both his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and what some are calling an alarming record on Islamist extremism.

Barrack kept in regular contact with Epstein for years, according to files reviewed by Republicans Against Trump, a political action committee, which flagged the connection Sunday as Barrack's new role drew scrutiny.

The criticism came from multiple directions within the MAGA coalition. Mark Levin, the conservative radio host and one of Trump's most prominent media allies, attacked Barrack from a pro-Israel angle, accusing him of working to restrain Israel in its fight against Hezbollah. "The Israeli government, led by PM Netanyahu, is having to fight against those in our government trying to restrain it against Hezbollah — led by envoy Barrack and others," Levin wrote.

Sarah Adams, a national security commentator, was more pointed. "Told you they were just slapping another title on this Islamist," she wrote, warning that the appointment signals "zero attempt in the new administration to be proactive and to stop homeland plotting by Al-Qaeda central."

Dimitri Lascaris, a Canadian lawyer and political commentator, noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is well aware of Barrack's background. "As Narco Rubio undoubtedly knows, Tom Barrack was a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein," he wrote.

Philip Pilkington, an economic analyst and conservative commentator, offered a dry take on the appointment: "It would be far easier to just appoint an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire."