Newsroom
Donald Trump isn’t even back in the White House yet, but his foreign policy playbook already seems to be making a quiet return to the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to reports by Kathimerini's Vasilis Nedos, the former U.S. president has handpicked a new “team of messengers” to reassert Washington’s influence in the region, and Cyprus is right at the heart of it.
A new U.S. ambassador for Cyprus
Trump has reportedly proposed Arizona businessman John Breslow as the next U.S. ambassador to Nicosia. Breslow, a Republican donor with close ties to Trump’s circle, is expected to replace Julie Davis when her term ends in March. Depending on how fast Congress moves, he could arrive sooner.
Behind the scenes, this appointment isn’t just a routine diplomatic shuffle. It’s part of a broader push by Trump-aligned figures to reshape U.S. energy and security strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Cyprus once again playing central roles.
Trump’s quartet: Energy, influence, and coordination
Alongside Breslow, three other key Trump envoys are said to be operating in close coordination:
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News host (and fiancée of Donald Trump Jr.), reportedly expected in Athens soon, Tom Barrack, the U.S. envoy in Ankara and a longtime Trump ally, and Masad Boulos, senior State Department adviser for Africa, who has been quietly engaging with leaders from Libya to Egypt.
Their mission, according to Greek media: to push for economic cooperation and energy deals that serve both regional stability and U.S. interests.
The Americans are particularly focused on the so-called Vertical Corridor, a new energy route that would allow U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reach Central Europe via Greece and the Balkans, bypassing Russia entirely.
The Cyprus factor
For Cyprus, the timing is interesting. Any serious U.S. plan for regional cooperation can’t ignore the island, especially when it comes to energy and security.
With its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) overlapping those of Israel, Egypt, and Turkey, Cyprus sits on valuable gas reserves and in a geopolitical crossroads. Trump’s envoys reportedly see Nicosia as essential to unlocking dialogue among the region’s heavyweights, including Greece and Turkey, whose maritime disputes often spill over into Cypriot waters.
In diplomatic circles, that means one thing: renewed American interest in Cyprus, possibly including fresh initiatives on the Cyprus issue itself.
Energy diplomacy heating up
The renewed U.S. attention comes as Greece cements its role as a transit hub for American LNG headed to Europe, while Turkey’s growing ties with Moscow have left Washington uneasy.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently warned against Russian gas slipping into Europe “through the back door, namely Turkey,” during the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Summit. The message landed clearly in Ankara, where officials are reportedly reassessing their energy strategy, and their standing with Washington.
What it means for Nicosia
If Breslow’s appointment moves forward, Cyprus could soon see a more assertive American presence, one focused less on traditional diplomacy and more on energy leverage and regional deal-making.
For a small island still divided and surrounded by big-power rivalries, that could mean both opportunity and pressure.
After years of being treated as a side note in U.S. foreign policy, Cyprus might once again find itself on Washington’s main stage, this time as a key player in an energy chessboard stretching from the Caspian to the Mediterranean.
Whether that’s good news or not depends on who you ask. But one thing’s certain: when the next U.S. ambassador lands in Nicosia, the island won’t just be a posting, it’ll be part of a much bigger game.
