In a quite topsy-turvy display of geopolitical maneuvering, the US is now in talks with Syria’s Al Sharaa—a former Al-Qaeda figure once listed with a bounty by U.S. intelligence—as his meeting takes place with the US President Donald Trump to thaw out a deal ending sanctions on the nation. Trump, seemingly impressed with Al Sharaa told reporters onboard Air Force One after the meeting that the Syrian leader was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
Al Sharaa, once a high-ranking member in Al-Qaeda’s regional leadership, has been linked with coordinating logistics and financing for militant operations across the Middle East. At one point, his name appeared on U.S. and allied watchlists, with a significant bounty offered for information leading to his capture. His attacks on U.S. interests abroad made him a high-profile target in the War on Terror.
But today, he is no longer in hiding. Rather, he’s been seen shaking hands with officials and business leaders in Washington circles. What changed?
Shifting Sands of U.S. Diplomacy
This development underscores a deep-rooted hypocrisy in U.S. foreign policy: the tendency to vilify actors as “terrorists” when they are adversaries, only to rehabilitate their images once geopolitical interests align.
Al Sharaa’s sudden reappearance may be linked to backchannel diplomacy in conflict zones where the U.S. is seeking leverage. His connections and influence on the ground could now be seen as an asset rather than a threat. For former President Trump and his allies, such a meeting could symbolize a potential political or business opportunity cloaked in the guise of diplomacy.
Trump meets with Al Sharaa.
United States President Donald Trump says Washington is considering the normalisation of ties with Damascus after he met Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the first such encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years.
Trump made the announcement on Wednesday at a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, during which he also said the US will drop “all sanctions” against Syria.
Photos posted on Saudi state media showed the two leaders shaking hands in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS.
In a statement, the White House said that during the meeting, Trump asked al-Sharaa to deport Palestinians it described as “terrorists”, “sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel” and “assume responsibility for ISIS detention centres in northeast Syria”.
On Tuesday night, Trump announced he was lifting sanctions on the war-battered country, drawing praise from Arab leaders and celebrations in the streets across Syria.
Trump’s pledge to lift sanctions could be a major turning point for a country still adjusting to life after more than 50 years of iron-gripped rule by the al-Assad family.
Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December after a lightning offensive by opposition rebels led by al-Sharaa’s forces.
Also read: Syria: Trump’s Risky GAMBLE or Masterstroke?
Speaking in an address to the nation after his return to Syria from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, al-Sharaa described Trump’s decision to lift sanctions as “courageous” and “brave”, as it would “help the Syrian people to have a better future and to achieve stability in the region”.
Trump also seemed pleased with the meeting. He said he thought Sharaa had a “real shot at holding it [Syria] together” and that the Syrian president had agreed to eventually join the Abraham Accords, which would normalise Syrian ties with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco signed the US-brokered accords in 2020.
Trump has been on a whirlwind meeting spree in the Gulf and the Middle East region, looking to cement some long-term deals with the nations there. He has now made a deal with Qatar, made deals with Saudi Arabia, and has seemingly come to some agreements with Syria and Al Sharaa as well. Whether the deals will pan out the way he intends can only be speculated, but for now, the Trump team feels they have managed to strike a coup that will continue to keep the geopolitical interests of the US in the region on point.
