In a historic diplomatic move, former U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Shara on Wednesday (May 14) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—marking the first meeting between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in 25 years. The meeting, held in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focused on regional stability and Syria’s potential normalization of relations with Israel.
Trump stated that he believes Syria will eventually join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreement aimed at normalizing ties between Israel and Arab nations. “I told him, ‘I hope you’ll join when everything is settled.’ He said yes. But they have a lot of work to do,” Trump said of his conversation with Al-Shara.
Praising the interim Syrian leader, Trump remarked, “He’s a young, attractive guy. A strong guy with a strong past—a fighter.” He added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a close observer of Syrian affairs, believes Al-Shara has the potential to stabilize the war-torn nation.
Al-Shara rose to power after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in a rebel-led movement last December and currently serves as Syria’s transitional head of state.
During the same visit, Trump emphasized his ongoing support for Saudi Arabia, calling it the “center of the world.” He also announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, a move he said came at the request of both Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Erdogan. “Oh, I’d do anything for the crown prince,” Trump joked.
Trump also spotlighted major U.S.-Saudi agreements, including a $142 billion defense deal and a $600 billion Saudi investment package targeting artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and energy.
The developments suggest a growing U.S. push to realign Middle Eastern alliances, with Syria potentially emerging as a future participant in broader regional normalization efforts.
