Who is on Trump's Middle East team?
US President Donald Trump began his second term this year with a broad vision for the Middle East: ending the war in Gaza, promoting the Abraham Accords, strengthening political and economic ties with the Gulf and keeping Iran in check.
Here are the people he has charged with implementing and shaping that agenda:
Marco Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is a traditional Republican with significant time spent in the Senate. He is in favour of assertive US foreign policy in the Middle East, being tough on Iran, and supporting Israel and the Gulf states.
Although Mr Rubio accompanied Mr Trump on his first trip abroad to the Gulf in May, he has been oddly sidelined in foreign policy issues, particularly those in the Middle East.
Last month, Mr Rubio was named interim National Security Adviser, replacing Mike Waltz.
Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff is the US special envoy to the Middle East. Before joining the Trump administration, the billionaire real estate developer and long-time friend of Mr Trump had no known diplomatic or Middle East experience.
Mr Witkoff, 68, is now perhaps the most influential official impacting US policy in the Middle East. He played a key role in reaching the temporary ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which took place right before Mr Trump's inauguration.
He is leading nuclear talks with Iran and worked with Omani mediators to secure a deal with Yemen's Houthis, who had been launching attacks on Red Sea shipping. Mr Trump also appointed him to lead negotiations on Ukraine.
Morgan Ortagus was appointed to be deputy special envoy to the Middle East and was overseeing the Lebanon portfolio.
However, she appears to have left the position or is about to. The State Department on Thursday refused to say who currently is responsible for the Lebanon file.
"A whole host of people that are involved in this issue," department spokesman Tommy Pigott told reporters. "We have no personnel announcements to really announce at this time."
Laura Loomer, who is close to Mr Trump, said on Thursday that Ms Ortagus had been terminated as deputy special envoy to the Middle East and was hoping to become ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
During the previous Trump administration, Ms Ortagus was State Department spokeswoman. She has been an intelligence analyst at the Department of the Treasury and as a public affairs officer at USAID. She is also an officer in the US Navy Reserve.
Tom Barrack
Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, was recently appointed to also serve as special envoy to Syria. The appointment is critical after Mr Trump ordered the lifting of all sanctions on Damascus.
Mr Barrack is a billionaire and a long-time friend of Mr Trump, and the grandson of Lebanese-Christian immigrants.
Joel Rayburn
Mr Trump recently nominated Joel Rayburn to serve as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, the top Middle East position at the State Department.
He would replace Tim Lenderking, who was appointed under president Joe Biden as special envoy for Yemen, and is now in the position as a caretaker.
Mr Rayburn is a military veteran and seasoned diplomat focused on Middle Eastern affairs. He was in Mr Trump's first administration as a special envoy for Syria. He was also senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon at the National Security Council.
The position requires Senate confirmation.
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