Former al-Qaeda affiliate and now Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has emerged as an unlikely diplomatic ally of US President Donald Trump, following a high-profile meeting in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. In a surprising show of support, Trump described al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy” and suggested that the Syrian leader “has a real chance of holding things together.”

The meeting, which took place during Trump’s visit to Riyadh, marks the beginning of a potential thaw in US-Syria relations. Trump encouraged al-Sharaa to follow in the footsteps of Middle Eastern nations like the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco by joining the Abraham Accords — a 2020 agreement to normalise ties with Israel.

Once known for his allegiance to al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa now leads a group long designated by the US as a terrorist organisation. Despite internal pushback within the Trump administration due to the Syrian leader’s extremist past, the President signalled a pivot in American foreign policy. Trump announced plans to lift sanctions on Syria — a significant move that could reshape the power dynamics in the region.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X (formerly Twitter) to share highlights of the meeting, stating that Trump urged al-Sharaa to take concrete steps to stabilise Syria and promote regional peace. These included:

1. Officially joining the Abraham Accords with Israel

2. Expelling foreign terrorists operating in Syria

3. Deporting Palestinian militants

4. Collaborating with the US to prevent an ISIS resurgence

5. Taking full control of ISIS detention centres in northeastern Syria

Alongside the diplomatic developments, Trump also announced two major economic deals with Saudi Arabia — a $600 billion investment in the US and $142 billion in arms sales — further cementing the strategic alliance between Washington and Riyadh.

This meeting could represent a major turning point in US policy on Syria, raising questions about how the administration balances geopolitical pragmatism with national security concerns.