A high-profile visit to Riyadh garnered significant praise across the Arab world for its tone and attention to key regional issues as President Donald Trump outlined his vision for a prosperous Middle East, securing billions of dollars in business — including a historic $142 billion arms deal.

Why It Matters

Trump’s renewed engagement marked a pivotal moment in reshaping U.S.-Arab relations — most notably for his remarks on Gaza, devastated by war since the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, and Syria, under new leadership after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Normalizing Relations with Syria

Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh in the first meeting between a U.S. and Syrian president in over two decades.

The meeting follows Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria; a decision celebrated in the Arab world, with foreign ministries deeming it a step towards supporting the country’s reconstruction and stability.

Televised video footage emerged of celebrations and cheering taking place in Damascus and other cities. “I believe the celebrations reflected genuine joy — whether they were directed or not,” Deputy Leader of the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) Bashir al-Saadi told Newsweek from the capital.

The Syrian Pound strengthened slightly against the U.S. Dollar, trading at 11,000 SYP to the dollar on Tuesday, up from 12,000 the day before, the state-run agency SANA reported.

Pushing for Ending Gaza War

The issue of Palestinians in Gaza has been a particular source of tension between the U.S. president and his Arab allies, mainly after Trump’s remarks earlier in the year on plans to take over the strip and relocate its population.

With the U.S. president adopting a more humanitarian tone towards the people of Gaza and direct negotiations with Hamas—resulting in the release of U.S.-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander—Arab countries are seeking U.S. efforts to move towards a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees,

Arab countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, demand a Palestinian state on land captured by Israel from Egypt and Jordan in the 1967 Middle East War. Saudi Arabia has resisted joining the Abraham Accords with Israel, pushed for by the U.S., unless there is a clear path to Palestinian statehood.

What People Are Saying

U.S. President Donald Trump in Riyadh: “We continue to work to get that war ended as quickly as possible. It’s a horrible thing that’s taking place. Also, people must condemn the October 7th atrocities against Israel, which would never have happened again if you had a different president, but definitely if you had me as president. The people of Gaza deserve a much better future. But that will not—or cannot—occur as long as their leaders capture them for political ends. The way those people are treated in Gaza—there is not a place in the world where people are treated so badly.”

Syrian analyst Samir Alabdullah told Newsweek: “There is great hope surrounding Trump’s decision to lift the sanctions, but there are numerous challenges that the Syrian leadership may face, and all eyes will monitor how committed it remains to the conditions imposed. A radical faction within Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham opposes what it calls the excessive rush toward the West and what it sees as offering concessions to them. Another discontent among some Syrian factions is over the lifting of sanctions and they view it as giving an opportunity to a government that does not represent all Syrians, and they may seek in the coming period to stir up trouble in order to obstruct those efforts.”

Prominent pro-government Saudi journalist Hussein al-Gawi on X: “Lifting sanctions on Syria was not a mere coincidence. Rather, it was because the Kingdom spoke out, and Washington responded. Meanwhile, those who threw their hands and necks into Tehran’s arms were lost between vague promises and cunning calculations. Today’s scene speaks for itself.”

Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in statement, translated from Arabic: “The Arab Republic of Egypt places its trust in President Trump’s leadership to achieve regional security and stability, as a culmination of his efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace and fostering regional stability.”

What Happens Next

Trump’s second stop is Qatar—where the U.S. is involved in negotiations between Israel and Hamas—then to the United Arab Emirates.