US President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination of Joel Rayburn for the top State Department post overseeing Middle East policy. Rayburn, who previously served as an envoy for Syria, faced skepticism from both Republican and Democratic senators during the confirmation process. Lawmakers raised concerns about his potential involvement in misleading officials regarding US troop levels in Syria, though Rayburn denied any role in such actions. The White House has not commented on the reasons for the withdrawal, which was first reported by a media outlet.