Trump Meets 'Attractive, Tough' New Leader of Syria After Lifting US Sanctions

Donald Trump met Syria's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia yesterday, telling the former jihadist he had an "extraordinary opportunity".

- William Christou

The US president said Washington was exploring normalising ties with Damascus, a day after it was announced that all US sanctions on Syria would be lifted.

Trump met Sharaa - a former militant who fought against US forces in Iraq and had a $10m US bounty on his head until December 2024 - alongside the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for about half an hour before a conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as part of his four-day visit to the Middle East.

It was the first meeting between US and Syrian presidents for 25 years and a key milestone in Syria's reintegration into the international arena after the toppling of the Assad regime.

Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One after the meeting that the Syrian president was a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter."

In Syria, people watched the images of their president standing beside the leaders of the US and Saudi Arabia on their TV screens in amazement. For many, it was a sign that 15 years of international isolation might finally be coming to an end.