On Monday, November 10th, President Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House. This marks the first visit to the White House by a leader of Syria since the country gained independence from France in 1946.
Unlike previous visits by foreign leaders, the welcoming ceremony for Sharaa was unusually low-key. The Syrian president entered the White House through a side entrance, giving reporters only a brief glimpse, unlike the usual protocol where foreign leaders enter through the West Wing main entrance (where Trump typically welcomes dignitaries). Normally, during a visit by a foreign head of state, reporters are allowed into the Oval Office, but this time the press corps was denied entry.
After the meeting, when asked if he had reached any agreements with the Syrian president, Trump said, “I have made an agreement with him. He is a very strong leader. He comes from a very difficult place, he is a tough guy. I admire him.”
“I get along very well with this new Syrian president,” he said. “We will do everything to make Syria successful because it is part of the Middle East.”
The President also emphasized that Syria is a significant part of the Middle East. Reflecting on Syria’s history, he noted the presence of many doctors, lawyers, and intellectuals in the country. Syria is a magical place with great people, and he expressed his confidence in the new leader’s ability to lead, stating, “I believe he is capable of handling this job, absolutely.”
Trump did not disclose any specific policy details discussed during the meeting but mentioned to reporters, “You can expect some announcements related to Syria. We want to see Syria become a very successful country, and I think this leader can achieve that. I truly believe he can. Some say he has a turbulent past, we all have our turbulent past, but his past is indeed turbulent. Honestly, I feel if you don’t have a turbulent past, you don’t stand a chance at success.”
Sharaa previously led a branch of the Al-Qaeda organization and has long been a nemesis of ISIS, fighting against the self-proclaimed Caliphate during the Syrian war. In 2016, Sharaa severed ties with Al-Qaeda and in December 2024 led armed forces to overthrow the former Syrian President Bashar Assad, ending the Assad family’s more than 50-year rule. After becoming the Syrian leader, Sharaa is seeking international support to rebuild the war-torn country and is striving to portray himself as a moderate president.
Trump and Sharaa had their first meeting in Saudi Arabia in May and signed an executive order on June 30 to officially lift U.S. sanctions on Syria as part of supporting the new Syrian government and peace reconstruction efforts. These sanctions had been in place during the decades of the Assad family rule in Syria.
According to Bloomberg, a U.S. official revealed that Syria will join the U.S.-led coalition to combat the Islamic State (ISIS). This decision signifies further cooperation between the U.S. and Syria. At the same time, Trump is also pressuring Syria and other countries in the region to sign the “Abraham Accords,” which have helped normalize relations between Israel and several countries. These efforts are a priority in Trump’s foreign policy agenda.
Bloomberg quoted Tom Barrack, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Syrian issue, stating that the U.S. believes Washington’s support for Sharaa is crucial in weakening Iran’s influence in Syria and preventing ISIS from regrouping.
The agreement to join the coalition to combat ISIS will further solidify Sharaa’s vision presented in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September, aiming to transform Syria from a “crisis exporter” into an opportunity for peace in Syria and the region.