Donald Trump meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, hailing his “tough” background as asset for rebuilding war-torn Syria after US removed him from terror list.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump praised his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa following unprecedented White House talks, suggesting the leader’s “rough” jihadist past would help him rebuild the war-torn country.
Sharaa became the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the country’s 1946 independence following his rebel forces’ ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year.
The 43-year-old’s landmark Oval Office visit came days after Washington removed him from its terrorism list, with his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
Trump expressed his desire for Syria to become “very successful” after more than a decade of civil war, adding “he can do it, I really do.”
“He’s a very strong leader. He comes from a very tough place, and he’s a tough guy,” Trump told reporters after the closed-door meeting.
“People said he’s had a rough past, we’ve all had rough pasts…And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”
Trump identified Syria as a “big part” of his wider Middle East peace plan aimed at supporting the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza.
He declined to confirm reports about Syria joining the US-led international coalition against Islamic State or signing any non-aggression pact with longtime foe Israel.
The Syrian president’s visit marked a dramatic turnaround for a former jihadist who once had a USD 10 million US bounty on his head.
In striking scenes after his Trump meeting, Sharaa climbed out of his motorcade to greet supporters outside the White House while surrounded by bodyguards.
Syria’s presidency stated on X that the leaders discussed bilateral relations and “regional and international issues of common interest.”
Published photos showed Trump shaking hands with a smiling Sharaa beside the Oval Office’s Resolute Desk.
Other pictures depicted the Syrian leader sitting opposite Trump with top US officials including Vice President JD Vance and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
Syria’s new leadership has sought to distance itself from its violent past while presenting a more moderate image domestically and internationally.
Michael Hanna of the International Crisis Group called the White House visit “a hugely symbolic moment for the country’s new leader.”
Sharaa first met Trump during the US leader’s May regional tour in Saudi Arabia, where Trump described him as “a young, attractive guy.”
The Syrian president was expected to seek US reconstruction funds for his country after 13 years of devastating civil war.
Sharaa met IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva over potential aid during his Washington visit.
While Sharaa’s jihadist background sparked controversy in some quarters, the State Department’s Friday decision to remove him from the blacklist was widely anticipated.
The Syrian president has also engaged in diplomatic outreach to Washington’s rivals, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in October. – AFP
