Trump Meets Al-Sharaa, Marks Historic Diplomatic Shift

In a rare diplomatic turn

In a rare diplomatic turn, U.S. President Donald Trump met Wednesday with Syria’s interim president Ahmad Al-Sharaa, marking the first direct encounter between American and Syrian leadership in more than 25 years.

The meeting, described by The White House as “brief but consequential,” took place on the sidelines of the U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh, where Trump also sat down with leaders from across the Gulf.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was present during the talks, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined virtually, according to Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency.

“President Trump thanked President Erdogan and the Crown Prince for their friendship, and told President Al-Sharaa that he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,” the White House said in a statement.

The meeting came just one day after Trump announced the full removal of U.S. sanctions on Syria, signaling a dramatic policy shift and opening the door to renewed diplomatic engagement with Damascus.

According to the White House, Trump pressed Al-Sharaa to consider joining the Abraham Accords—a U.S.-brokered initiative launched in 2020 that normalized ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE and Bahrain. 

Trump also emphasized the need for Syria to step up its counterterrorism efforts. He called on Al-Sharaa to deport Palestinian militants and work closely with the U.S. to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in the region.