President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Joel Rayburn as the US State Department’s top official for the Middle East, sources familiar with the decision told Al Arabiya English.Rayburn, an Army veteran, served as Trump’s special envoy for Syria during the president’s first administration. He was also the deputy assistant secretary for Levant Affairs. He has been working with the Trump transition team alongside Brian Hook and other former members of Trump’s first term.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.After leaving office, Rayburn joined the Hudson Institute as a senior fellow and a special advisor for Middle East affairs for Senator Bill Hagerty.With Trump yet to make the announcement and the position requiring Senate confirmation, Tim Lenderking, the Biden administration’s special envoy for Yemen, will serve as assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs in an acting manner.Lenderking is a career diplomat with decades of