US President Donald Trump will host Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa for official talks in Washington on 10 November, the White House announced on Tuesday, emphasizing that the former jihadist achieved “good progress” toward establishing peace in his war-torn country.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed the upcoming meeting during a press briefing, explaining that the visit represents part of the president’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to pursue peace with leaders worldwide.
Significantly, this marks the first time a Syrian head of state has ever visited the White House, highlighting a remarkable shift in diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Leavitt previously noted that President Trump announced the lifting of US sanctions on Syria during his trip to the region last May, a strategic move specifically designed to give the country a tangible chance at achieving peace. She further asserted that the administration has already seen measurable, good progress on the peace front under Al-Sharaa’s relatively new national leadership.
A Diplomatic Breakthrough
Although this will be Sharaa’s first official visit to Washington, he made a landmark trip to the United Nations in September, becoming the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York. Furthermore, the interim leader, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, first met President Trump in Riyadh during the US president’s regional tour last May.
Last week, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani confirmed that Al-Sharaa would visit Washington early this month to discuss key topics like lifting remaining sanctions, facilitating reconstruction efforts, and strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation. Moreover, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack mentioned on Saturday that Al-Sharaa was heading to Washington “hopefully” to sign an official agreement to join the international US-led alliance fighting the Islamic State (IS).
Washington delisted Al-Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, as a terrorist group as recently as July, signaling a major policy shift. Consequently, Syria’s new leadership has diligently sought to break completely from its violent extremist past, actively working to present a moderate image that is more tolerable to both ordinary Syrians and influential foreign powers.
