Once linked to the al-Qaeda, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has now become a figure of admiration for US President Donald Trump, who referred to him as a “young attractive guy”. After meeting with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Trump expressed hope in his potential and said “he’s got a real shot at holding it together”.
Trump urged al-Sharaa to join countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, which normalised ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.
The US President has expressed interest in normalising relations with Syria, beginning with the historic meeting with al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa, who once pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, rose to power at the head of a group that the US has long labelled as a terrorist organisation.
Trump has now signalled a major shift in US policy toward Syria by announcing plans to lift sanctions on the regime, a move that could redefine relations in the region. Despite resistance within some sectors of his administration over al-Sharaa’s past ties to al-Qaeda, Trump has made it clear that he is pushing forward with plans to engage with Syria.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the update about the meeting on X and said that “President Trump encouraged President al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people”.
She said that Trump primarily urged al-Sharaa for five things:
- 1. To sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel
- 2. Tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria
- 3. Deport Palestinian terrorists
- 4. Help the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS
- 5. Assume responsibility for ISIS detention centres in northeast Syria
Trump also announced major deals, including a USD 600 billion Saudi investment in the US and USD 142 billion in American arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
With Reuters inputs
