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President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, marking the first high-level meeting between U.S. and Syrian heads of state in a quarter-century. The closed-door session came on the sidelines of Trump’s summit with Gulf leaders and could signal a dramatic shift in American policy toward Syria. Trump praised al-Sharaa afterward as a “tough guy” and “attractive guy” with a “very strong past,” despite al-Sharaa’s militant history and time spent in U.S. custody during the Iraq war.
What to Know:
- Trump held a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh.
- Al-Sharaa, once linked to al-Qaida, rose to power after leading a successful insurgent push that toppled the Assad regime.
- Trump announced plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, calling them “very powerful” and “crippling.”
- The Syrian leader has reportedly agreed to join the Abraham Accords and work toward recognizing Israel, though Syria has not confirmed.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously urged Trump not to ease pressure on Syria.
- Crowds celebrated in Damascus following Trump’s announcement, setting off fireworks in the capital.
Stay with Newsweek for the latest updates.
Who Is Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa who met Trump?
Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa performs the Umrah, or the minor pilgrimage, in Islam’s holiest city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia on February 3, 2025.
AFP/Getty Images
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the heavily-bearded former Islamist insurgent who was once the target of U.S. counterterrorism operations, has taken another step towards full acceptance under President Donald Trump.
Trump announced during a trip to Saudi Arabia that he plans to lift sanctions on Syria after the fall of the Iranian-backed administration of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Trump’s announcement marks a shift in tone under Trump and a significant diplomatic win for Syria’s president that follows behind-the-scenes efforts by Middle Eastern rulers aiming to push the war-torn country toward regional reintegration after over a decade of conflict. The U.S. had long sanctioned Syria over human rights abuses and alleged terrorism.
