Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, the latest in a series of once-unthinkable moments for his country and another unlikely stop in the former militant’s personal journey.
Once imprisoned by U.S. forces in Iraq, Sharaa went on to lead Syria’s al-Qaeda affiliate and now, as interim head of state, appears in smiling photos with presidents and prime ministers around the world while seeking their help as Syria emerges from decades of dictatorship and war.
On Monday, after a historic first trip to the White House by a Syrian leader, Sharaa stepped out of his motorcade and greeted a cheering throng of supporters gathered just outside, many waving Syrian flags.
Since Sharaa, 43, led rebel forces that toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December, Trump has become one of the new leader’s more enthusiastic global backers, a bond rooted in U.S. perceptions of the country’s strategic importance but also Trump’s apparent personal regard.
“Tough guy,” Trump said of Sharaa after the two men first met in May. “Very strong past. Fighter.”
In remarks Monday after the meeting, Trump reiterated his praise for the Syrian president. “We want to see Syria become a country that’s very successful. And I think this leader can do it, I really do,” Trump said.
As he visited Washington, Sharaa was looking to deepen a partnership with the United States that has already paid dividends, including the lifting of sanctions imposed on the Assad government and U.S. mediation with Sharaa’s rivals, at home and abroad, amid repeated challenges to the Syrian leader’s rule.
