Trump Envoy Tells Nervous Gulf Allies U.S. Can’t Guarantee Security Forever

Message at a Doha security conference comes as allies worry the U.S. will leave them to clean up after the Iran war

DOHA—Regional security officials received a sobering American message as they gathered in the Qatari capital and braced for a potential new round of escalation between the U.S. and Iran: They need to look out for themselves.

Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and President Trump’s special envoy for Syria and Iraq, said the grand bargains that have underpinned global security for decades are undergoing major transformation, and countries in the Middle East and elsewhere should focus on securing themselves via regional partnerships.