U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, one day after announcing the removal of all U.S. sanctions on Syria. The meeting was hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Sharaa was formerly a leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. He later broke away from the group and formed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HTS took control of parts of northwestern Syria before forming a transitional council. He became Syria’s interim president in December after anti-Assad militias overthrew the regime.
Trump praised al-Sharaa after their 37-minute meeting, calling him “tough” and saying, “He’s got a real shot at holding it together.” The meeting marked the first time in 25 years that a U.S. president has met with a Syrian leader.
Today, President Trump, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. President Erdogan of Turkey joined by phone. President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi… pic.twitter.com/0yhyZbQ1o0
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 14, 2025
Since taking power, al-Sharaa has pledged to protect Syria’s minority groups and restore stability. However, sectarian violence persists in several areas, and his government has received little international recognition.
The White House also said Trump urged al-Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords with Israel, expel all foreign terrorist fighters from Syria, deport Palestinian militants, and take responsibility for Islamic State detention camps in northeastern Syria.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to join when it’s straightened out.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ But they have a lot of work to do.”
“I told (Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa), I hope you’re going to join (the Abraham Accords) once you’re straightened out and he said yes. But they have a lot of work to do.”
– Donald Trump, about Syria joining the Abraham Accords
pic.twitter.com/V4y9IhBwyL— Samuel Sabbah (@Samuel_Sabbah) May 14, 2025
The sanctions, first imposed in 2004 and expanded in 2011 during Assad’s crackdown on protests, had blocked most trade and financial activity with Syria. Trump announced their removal Tuesday during a keynote speech at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, stating, “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.”
The remarks received a standing ovation from many in attendance, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
🚨BREAKING: Trump announces that the US will DROP sanctions against Syria “to give them a chance at greatness.”
The entire ballroom gives him a standing ovation. pic.twitter.com/ITSJppwfOE
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 13, 2025
Saudi and Turkish officials reportedly played a key role in convincing Trump to lift the sanctions and meet with al-Sharaa. The move has been welcomed and celebrated in parts of Syria, where over 90 percent of the population lives in poverty.
#Syria: celebrations erupt in the city of #Homs following the news the US will lift all sanctions. pic.twitter.com/L7lwxD7cWj
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) May 13, 2025
After the meeting, Trump traveled to Qatar to oversee a deal for the Qatari government to purchase aircraft from Boeing. A separate Qatari proposal to donate a Boeing aircraft for U.S. presidential use has raised concerns in Washington over potential security and ethics issues.
Trump said the United States is now considering restoring full diplomatic ties with Syria. The country has been listed as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. Despite al-Sharaa’s past affiliation with al-Qaeda, Trump said he believes the Syrian leader can help rebuild the country after more than a decade of war.
