In a sudden reversal of decades of US policy of isolating Syria, President Donald Trump on Wednesday received Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa—a past leader of the rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS, a spinoff of al-Qaeda, is classified as a terrorist group by the US government.
The meeting was held in Riyadh at the behest of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a day after Trump removed sweeping sanctions on Syria that had been in place since 1979.
After the meeting, Trump, who tends to judge people based on how they look, was optimistic about al-Sharaa's future in leading Syria. He referred to the former militant as a "young, good-looking, tough guy" with a "very strong background."
Addressing reporters on Air Force One, Trump said, "He's got a real shot at holding it together."
He added, "He's a young, good-looking guy. Tough guy. Strong background. Very strong background. Fighter."
Trump also said he had spoken to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who "is very friendly with him" and feels al-Sharaa "has a shot at doing a good job. It's a torn-up country."
This was the first time in 25 years a sitting US president met with a Syrian leader. Trump pushed al-Sharaa to normalize with Israel but made no signal that Syria would be taken off the US blacklist of state sponsors of terror—a designation placed on Syria in 1979 because of its sponsorship of Palestinian militant organizations. This designation continues to greatly limit investment and diplomatic access.
However, Trump's move to suspend most sanctions, mainly the ones imposed under Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian regime, is a huge fillip for war-shattered Syria that continues to realign itself after al-Sharaa's December 2024 ouster of Assad.
Why the Meeting Raised Eyebrows
The international response was divided because of al-Sharaa's chequered past. Once called Abu Mohammad al-Julani, he was al-Qaeda affiliated and battled US troops in Iraq. He was even detained by Americans for a few years. Ever since overthrowing Assad on December 8, 2024, al-Sharaa has dropped his nom de guerre, donned a suit and tie, shaved his beard, and started receiving foreign officials.
He has since been tasked with guiding Syria through an unspecified transition, with a mandate to create an interim parliament after Assad-era institutions are dissolved and the 2012 constitution is suspended.
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