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In this picture launched by Syrian Presidency press workplace, President Donald Trump, left, shakes palms with Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa, on the White House in Washington, on November 10, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP
Mr. Al-Sharaa arrived on the White House somewhat after 11:30 am and started his Oval Office assembly shortly after. The assembly is closed to the press, and the Syrian President entered the constructing via West Executive Avenue, adjoining to the White House, moderately than on the West Wing driveway used for different overseas leaders’ arrivals.
It’s the primary go to to the White House by a Syrian head of state because the West Asian nation gained independence from France in 1946 and comes after the U.S. lifted sanctions imposed on Syria throughout the a long time the nation was dominated by the Assad household. Mr. Al-Sharaa led the insurgent forces that toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad final December and was named the nation’s interim chief in January.
Mr. Trump and Mr. al-Sharaa — who as soon as had ties to al-Qaida and had a $10 million US bounty on his head — first met in May in Saudi Arabia. At the time, the US president described al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter.” It was the primary official encounter between the U.S. and Syria since 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton met with Hafez Assad, the daddy of Bashar Assad.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Monday’s go to is “a part of the president’s efforts in diplomacy to satisfy with anybody world wide within the pursuit of peace.” Mr. Trump, a Republican, has just lately stated that Mr. al-Sharaa is “doing an excellent job to this point” and {that a} “lot of progress has been made with Syria” because the US eased sanctions.
One official with information of the administration’s plans stated Syria’s entry into the worldwide coalition combating the Islamic State group will permit it to work extra intently with US forces, though the brand new Syrian navy and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces within the nation’s northeast had already been combating the group.
Before Mr. al-Sharaa’s arrival within the US, the United Nations Security Council voted to carry sanctions on the Syrian president and different authorities officers in a transfer that the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, stated was a robust signal that Syria is in a brand new period because the fall of Assad.
Mr. Al-Sharaa comes into the assembly together with his personal priorities. He needs a everlasting repeal of sanctions that punished Syria for widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Assad’s authorities and safety forces. While the Caesar Act sanctions are presently waived by Mr. Trump, a everlasting repeal would require Congress to behave.
One choice is a proposal from Sen Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the highest Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that may finish the sanctions with none circumstances. The different was drafted by Sen Lindsey Graham, R-SC, a hawkish Trump ally who needs to set circumstances for a sanctions repeal that may be reviewed each six months.
But advocates argue that any repeal with circumstances would stop corporations from investing in Syria as a result of they might worry doubtlessly being sanctioned. Mouaz Moustafa, government director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, likened it to a “hanging shadow that paralyzes any initiatives for our nation.”
Published – November 11, 2025 07:06 am IST
