Trump Meets Syrian Leader Shara at White House Amid Sanctions Suspension

WISE NEWS PRESS / LONDON, UK — Nov. 2, 2025

US President Donald Trump and Ahmad al-Shara, the leader of Syria's transitional government, met at the White House today, marking the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the United States since the country gained independence in 1946.

The White House only confirmed that the meeting between President Trump and Shara had begun, stating the talks would be closed to the press. As the leaders convened, the US Treasury Department announced a decision to suspend sanctions against Syria for 180 days, replacing a previous move in May that involved waiving the legislation governing sanctions.

Shara arrived in Washington late Saturday night, where he first met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and representatives of some Syrian organizations in the US. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt previously described the meeting as "part of President Trump's diplomatic efforts to meet with everyone worldwide in pursuit of peace." The spokesperson also recalled that Trump decided to lift sanctions on Syria during his Middle East trip in June.

Shara's Diplomatic Marathon

The meeting had been anticipated for some time. Tom Barrack, President Trump's Special Envoy for the Middle East and Ambassador to Ankara, had previously shared expectations that the visit would take place around November 10. Barrack had expressed hope that Syria would join the US-led coalition against ISIS. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan Shaybani had indicated that the reconstruction of Syria would be discussed during the meeting.

After taking power following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, Shara embarked on a series of foreign trips. One of Shara's first visits was to Ankara on February 4, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Trump and Shara first met in Riyadh on May 14, accompanied by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with President Erdoğan participating via teleconference. A day earlier, Trump had announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria, stating that his talks with Erdoğan and bin Salman had been influential in that decision.

In September, Shara attended the UN General Assembly in New York, becoming the first Syrian leader to address the body in 58 years. Shara also met with Trump there. The Syrian leader also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on October 15.

Coalition Against ISIS and Regional Tension

Special Envoy Barrack said the US aims to persuade Syria to join the Washington-led coalition against ISIS. "We are trying to convince everyone to be partners in this alliance; it is very important for them," Barrack stated.

ISIS controlled about a third of Syria and Iraq during its peak between 2014 and 2017. Shara, formerly known as Jolani, led an offshoot of Al-Qaeda in Syria. In 2016, he separated from Al-Qaeda and, a year later, founded the Islamist militant organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which led the rebel groups that overthrew Assad.

The US-led coalition and its regional partners pushed ISIS out of its last stronghold in Syria in 2019. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls northeastern Syria, was among the US's main partners.

Barrack previously stated that Syria and Israel were continuing de-escalation talks mediated by the US. Speaking to reporters, Barrack said Syria and Israel were close to an agreement but did not provide details on the timing. Damascus wants the cessation of Israeli airstrikes and the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers who entered southern Syria. Syrian sources indicated that the US was pushing for a security agreement with Israel before Shara's Washington visit.

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