President Donald Trump has become the first American leader in 25 years to sit down with a Syrian head of state, meeting Wednesday with transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa during a regional tour stop in Riyadh.
The encounter, which occurred before a larger meeting involving Gulf nation leaders, highlights Trump’s latest diplomatic gamble aimed at stabilizing war-torn Syria.
Sharaa assumed the presidency after the December removal of Bashar al-Assad and was formerly known for his Islamist insurgent background.
The last known engagement between a U.S. and Syrian leader occurred in 2000 when President Bill Clinton met with Hafez al-Assad, an effort that ultimately failed to produce peace with Israel.
In a bold policy shift, Trump announced Tuesday that sanctions originally imposed during Assad’s regime would be lifted.
The decision reportedly follows pressure from Ankara and Riyadh and represents another break from U.S.-Israeli policy alignment.
Trump portrayed the move as a way to open doors for ordinary Syrians. “It’s time for Syrians to achieve greatness,” he said. “This step can change their future.”
The reaction on the ground in Syria was one of jubilation. Dozens gathered in central Damascus, cheering the policy change.
Huda Qassar, a schoolteacher, voiced hope that it would lower prices, spur reconstruction, and bring refugees home.
Syria’s foreign ministry praised the decision, calling it a “decisive shift” for national peace and prosperity.
Despite this diplomatic warming, Syria remains designated by the U.S. as a state sponsor of terrorism — a label imposed in 1979 for support to Palestinian militants and one that still deters most foreign economic involvement.