On 10 November, Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa strides into the Oval Office. He becomes the first Syrian leader ever to do so since the country’s independence in 1946.
Al-Sharaa, the 43-year-old former Al-Qaeda commander who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, meets President Trump for the third time this year. Al-Sharaa enters the White House through West Executive Avenue, a less visible and non-ceremonial route, rather than the traditional front driveway where foreign dignitaries are often greeted publicly. After the talks conclude, the Syrian leader briefly greets a throng of supporters gathered outside before getting into his motorcade. The closed-door meeting inside the Oval Office marks a clear shift in Washington, D.C.’s stance towards Damascus – a reset after more than a decade of brutal civil war, crippling sanctions and years of near-total diplomatic isolation.
Trump and Al-Sharaa first met in the month of May this year in Saudi Arabia. “A young, attractive guy … Tough guy … Strong past, very strong past … Fighter”, is how the U.S. President described Al-Sharaa at the time. It was the first official encounter between the U.S. and Syria since 2000, when the then U.S. President Bill Clinton met with Syrian leader Hafez Assad, the father of Bashar al-Assad.
To be sure, this isn’t just about diplomacy. It’s a stunning U.S. pivot. Once carrying a 10 million-dollar bounty, Al-Sharaa is now being viewed by the U.S. as a possible stabilising figure in the region. In a viral moment, Al-Sharaa was seen playing basketball with U.S. officials. It’s a surreal moment for some; even hard to believe that a man who once fought under the banner of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group is now feted in the White House. Al-Sharaa was sanctioned by the U.S., the U.K., and the U.N. Security Council for terrorism but just days before he was to land in Washington, D.C., all sanctions were lifted. The U.N.S.C. on 6th November and the U.S. and the U.K. on the 7th.
The outcome of their talks was remarkable. Syria becomes the 90th country to join the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State. The U.S. extends sanctions-relief for another 180 days under the Caesar Act. (The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, also known as the Caesar Act, is the United States legislation that sanctions the former Syrian Government, including the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, for war crimes against the Syrian population.) Talks also covered regional issues, including a potential Syria – Israel security pact.
The Trump Government has tried to broker a pact between Syria and Israel, which invaded parts of southern Syria after Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Israel established military bases and has demanded a demilitarised zone south of Damascus, in what Tel Aviv has said is a temporary security measure. However, while President Trump is keen to eventually normalise ties between Israel and Syria, Al-Sharaa is aiming first at a security deal, with the condition that Israeli troops withdraw from Syrian territory.
Al-Sharaa gave a frank assessment of the talks with Israel in an interview to The Washington Post newspaper. He said: “We are engaged in direct negotiations with Israel, and we have gone a good distance on the way to reach an agreement. But to reach a final agreement, Israel should withdraw to their pre-December 8 borders”. He was critical of Israel’s “expansionist ambitions”. He said: “Israel occupied the Golan Heights in order to protect Israel, and now they are imposing conditions in the south of Syria in order to protect the Golan Heights. So after a few years, maybe they will occupy the centre of Syria in order to protect the south of Syria. They will reach Munich on that pathway.” He went on to say that it is difficult for Syria to agree to Israel’s demand of demilitarising the region south of Damascus. “This is Syrian territory, and Syria should have the freedom of dealing with their own territory”, he added for good measure.
As for the U.S., President Trump’s interest in Syria goes far beyond diplomacy. The United States is preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus. The U.S. maintains a major military presence across the region, with forces in over a dozen countries and ships patrolling regional waters. The new U.S. footprint focusses on countering threats from Iran and its network of allies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militant groups in Iraq and Syria. Meanwhile, the Syrian people are facing another challenge in the European Union. Years after fleeing war and finding safety in Germany, many Syrian refugees now face an uncertain future as the German Government signals that some could be sent back either voluntarily or by force. Germany welcomed more refugees from Syria than any other country during the 2015 — 2016 crisis under former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Today, 1.3 million Syrians live in Germany, including 25,000 children born in the country. Now, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his coalition are calling for their repatriation.
Fast-forward to 18th November. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, or M.B.S. as he is known, arrives for a black-tie White House dinner and talks. It’s an equally, if not more, important visit. M.B.S. seeks a formal U.S. defence pact – much like President Trump’s security guarantee for Qatar or Saudi Arabia’s own September deal with nuclear-armed Pakistan. He’s also keen to buy the U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets. The Reuters news agency reported that the Trump Government is considering a Saudi Arabian request to buy as many as 48 F-35 fighter jets. A sale would mark a significant policy shift, potentially altering the military balance in the region and testing Washington, D.C.’s definition of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge.
The F-35, built with stealth technology that allows it to evade enemy detection, is considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet. Israel has operated the aircraft for nearly a decade, building multiple squadrons and remains the only country in the region to possess the weapons system. Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for U.S. weapons. During President Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May, the U.S. agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth 1 hundred and 42 billion dollars. In short, M.B.S. is eyeing iron-clad security, civil nuclear cooperation and trade deals. But, he is in no hurry to sign up for the Abraham Accords. He insists on Palestinian statehood first. No normalisation with Israel for him without irreversible steps towards a Palestinian state. (In 2020, President Trump reached deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to normalise relations with Israel.) The Saudi Crown Prince will likely try to lean on President Trump for an explicit and vocal buy-in for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
The Saudi leader is not the only one reluctant to sign up for the Abraham Accords. Syria’s Ahmed Al-Sharaa remains equally sceptical of it. In an interview to Fox News, Al-Sharaa says that Syria has entered a new era in its ties with the U.S. but he is quick to add that co-operation with the U.S. and Israel have their limits. Though the Syria – Israel talks are geared towards a security agreement based on the 1974 disengagement framework, Golan Heights remains off the table, for now. So no full peace yet.
These back-to-back meetings with Syrian and Saudi leaders signal President Trump’s “peace through strength” stratagem of embracing former foes and striking long-term trade and defence deals. Will it herald a new West Asia? Will Trump succeed where others before him failed? Watch this space.