Trump Courts Sharaa to Secure a New Middle East Ally

US President Donald Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington in nearly 80 years. This meeting – which also features Al-Sharaa’s history as the leader of Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria – represents a significant thaw in relations with the once pariah state.

Al-Sharaa hopes to use his “strong man” image to reach an agreement with the United States to permanently lift US sanctions on Syria. In 2019, Trump imposed sanctions under the Caesar Act to punish Damascus for alleged widespread human rights violations under the Assad regime. But in June, Trump waived those sanctions by executive order, citing the need to “give Syrians a chance at greatness.”

US President Donald Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to Washington in nearly 80 years. This meeting – which also features Al-Sharaa’s history as the leader of Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria – represents a significant thaw in relations with the once pariah state.

Al-Sharaa hopes to use his “strong man” image to reach an agreement with the United States to permanently lift US sanctions on Syria. In 2019, Trump imposed sanctions under the Caesar Act to punish Damascus for alleged widespread human rights violations under the Assad regime. But in June, Trump waived those sanctions by executive order, citing the need to “give Syrians a chance at greatness.”

Trump appeared to be trying to appease Sharaa’s demands on Monday by announcing that the Treasury Department would suspend most sanctions imposed on Syria, except for those involving transactions with Russia and Iran. But Sharaa seeks a permanent solution, which requires a resolution from congress, and American lawmakers appear reluctant to respond to this request unless Damascus adheres to several conditions, such as ensuring religious pluralism in the country and improving relations with Israel.

But Al-Sharaa is not the only one seeking to benefit from the new partnership between the United States and Syria. Trump hopes to persuade Damascus to join Washington’s 89-nation coalition dedicated to fighting ISIS, something the New Syrian Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are already doing. It also aims to expand the Abraham Accords by having Syria formalize relations with Israel, establishing a military presence at the Mezzeh Air Base in Damascus, and building a Trump Tower in the capital.

Read more in today’s Global Brief: Al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House indicates the reshaping of the regional system.