Trump to Host Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa at White House
Sharaa has pivoted decisively away from Iran and Russia — Assad’s longtime allies — and toward Türkiye, the Gulf, and now Washington.
Syrian President Ahmed Shara meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on October 15, 2025. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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n a dramatic diplomatic turn few could have imagined just a year ago, U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House on Monday — the first such visit by a Syrian leader in history, and a striking symbol of Syria’s rapid transformation.
The meeting caps a whirlwind year for Sharaa, 42, whose forces toppled Bashar al-Assad’s long-entrenched regime last December. Since assuming power, Sharaa has pivoted decisively away from Iran and Russia — Assad’s longtime allies — and toward Türkiye, the Gulf, and now Washington.
Just months after seizing Damascus, Sharaa has been touring world capitals in an effort to end more than a decade of international isolation and attract the reconstruction funding his war-torn nation desperately needs. His White House visit — six months after his first meeting with Trump in Riyadh — cements his emergence as a central player in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
Trump has lauded the new Syrian leader, calling him “a tough guy in a tough neighborhood” and praising his “very good job” in restoring order to parts of Syria devastated by 14 years of civil war.
“President Sharaa represents a new chapter for Syria,” Trump said last week. “A lot of progress has been made, and we’re helping to bring peace and stability to a region that’s seen too much chaos for too long.”
Security and sanctions on the table
According to U.S. and regional officials, Monday’s talks are expected to focus on security cooperation and Syria’s potential entry into a U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State. The formal announcement could come during the meeting, marking a historic reversal for a country once accused of enabling extremist movements.
The United States is also quietly brokering discussions between Syria and Israel on a limited security arrangement, Reuters has reported, and plans are underway to establish a small American military presence at a Damascus airbase to coordinate counterterrorism operations.
Economic issues are expected to dominate the second half of the talks, particularly the future of U.S. sanctions. Trump has already lifted most restrictions imposed on Syria, but the toughest measures — the Caesar Sanctions Act — can only be repealed by Congress.
Both the White House and State Department have expressed support for ending the sanctions before the end of 2025, a move that Sharaa has made a top priority. The Syrian leader is expected to lobby for repeal, arguing it is vital for unlocking international investment and rebuilding the economy.
The World Bank estimates that reconstruction costs exceed $200 billion, underscoring the scale of Syria’s recovery challenge.
Syria’s dramatic transformation
In 2013, the U.S. formally designated Sharaa a global terrorist and offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture. But in December 2024, following Assad’s fall, Washington quietly removed the bounty. Last week, the United Nations Security Council lifted its terrorism sanctions on both Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Khattab.
The U.S. Treasury Department also announced that Sharaa’s name had been removed from the list of “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” clearing the way for formal diplomatic engagement.
“This meeting symbolizes a complete reorientation,” said Lina Khatib, a Middle East analyst at Chatham House. “For years, the U.S. sought to contain Syria. Now, the White House sees it as a partner — even an ally — in regional security.”
Trump’s embrace of Sharaa comes amid a broader U.S. effort to reshape alliances in the Middle East. Just last week, the administration announced that Kazakhstan would join the Abraham Accords, and officials have hinted that Syria could be next.
Asked about the possibility, Trump was noncommittal but upbeat: “We’ll see. There’s been a lot of progress, and we’re talking about peace in ways nobody thought possible.”
Whether or not Monday’s meeting produces immediate agreements, it marks a watershed moment — not only for U.S.-Syria relations, but for a region entering yet another phase of geopolitical realignment.
(Source: Reuters)
