Historic US-Syria Meeting: President Trump Hosts Syrian President al-Sharaa at White House

In a historic diplomatic engagement, President Donald Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House on November 10, 2025. This meeting marks the first official visit by a Syrian head of state to the United States since Syria's independence in 1946.

The discussions, held behind closed doors in the Oval Office, focused on Syria's potential integration into the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group and the lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed during the Assad regime. President Trump expressed confidence in al-Sharaa's leadership, despite his controversial past, including former ties to al-Qaida and a $10 million bounty previously placed on him by the U.S. government.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, born on October 29, 1982, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to a Syrian Sunni Muslim family, grew up in Damascus. He joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003 and fought in the Iraqi insurgency. After being captured and imprisoned by American forces from 2006 to 2011, he was released and returned to Syria. In 2012, he founded the al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, which later rebranded as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in 2017. Al-Sharaa led HTS until 2025, when he became Syria's de facto leader following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

In May 2025, President Trump announced plans to lift longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria, which had been in place since 1979 and intensified during the Syrian Civil War. The sanctions had frozen Syrian assets, banned petroleum imports, and isolated the country from the global economy. Critics noted that repealing the sanctions, especially those under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, would require Congressional approval. This initiative was seen as a diplomatic boost for President al-Sharaa, facilitating Syria's reintegration into the global economy and geopolitics.

The meeting between Presidents Trump and al-Sharaa represents a significant shift in international relations, potentially altering the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. For Syria, this engagement may lead to increased foreign investment and aid, aiding in the country's reconstruction efforts. However, al-Sharaa's controversial past, including his ties to al-Qaida, raises concerns about the legitimacy and stability of his leadership. Domestically, Syrians may have mixed reactions, balancing hope for rebuilding against apprehension over al-Sharaa's history.

The meeting underscores a significant pivot in U.S.-Syria relations, with potential long-term geopolitical implications. As Syria seeks to integrate into the international community and rebuild after years of civil war, the outcomes of this diplomatic engagement will be closely watched by global observers.