Saudi crown prince welcomes Trump to kingdom as US leader begins four-day Middle East tour

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump is scheduled to have a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa, once a rebel leader, played a pivotal role in toppling former Syrian leader Bashar Assad last year.

“The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow,” the White House said.

This meeting with President Trump marks a significant milestone for Al-Sharaa, who was previously arrested in Iraq for his involvement in the insurgency following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Following a successful offensive led by Al-Sharaa’s group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that culminated in the fall of Damascus and the end of the Assad family’s five-decade rule, Al-Sharaa assumed the presidency of Syria in January.

The United States has been deliberating its approach towards Al-Sharaa since he assumed power in December. Leaders from the Gulf countries have expressed their support for the new Syrian government and are likely to urge President Trump to do the same. They view the new administration in Damascus as a barrier against Iran’s resurgence in Syria, where Iran had previously supported Assad’s regime throughout the ten-year civil war.

Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place.

In remarks Tuesday evening in Riyadh, Trump is expected to say that “we must all hope” the al-Sharaa government “will succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace,” according to excerpts released by the White House.

As he prepared to leave Washington, Trump said he’s weighing removing sanctions on the Syrian government.

“We may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start,” said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so.

The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who has been deeply skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq.

Al-Sharaa, whom the U.S. once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida, came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 where he led al-Qaida’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaida.

Al-Sharaa is set to become the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since the late Hafez Assad met Bill Clinton in Geneva in 2000.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Preservationists seek landmark designation for St. Mary of the Assumption Chicago, Pope Leo XIV's boyhood Catholic church

Preservationists push for historic landmark status for St. Mary of the Assumption in Chicago, where Pope Leo XIV attended as a child.

CHICAGO (WLS) — The last Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption…
Menendez brothers resentenced as experts blast 'indefensible' bid for killers freedom

Menendez Brothers Resentenced as Critics Denounce ‘Unjustifiable’ Attempt for Killers’ Release

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic has stunned many with…
UN revisits 'killer robot' regulations as concerns about AI-controlled weapons grow

The UN is reviewing rules for ‘killer robots’ amid rising fears over AI-powered weaponry.

Several countries gathered at the United Nations (U.N.) recently to address a…
College senior killed after 'accidentally' falling from tropical island hotel balcony days before graduation

College senior dies in a fall from a hotel balcony on a tropical island shortly before graduation

A college student is dead after a pre-graduation trip to the Bahamas…
Six illegal migrants charged in South Carolina mother's murder defy 'decency' in 'civilized society': sheriff

Sheriff denounces six charged migrants for violating societal norms in the murder of South Carolina mother

Authorities in Lancaster, South Carolina, have charged six illegal immigrants between the…
Pope Leo XIV makes first social media post, calling for peace

Pope Leo XIV shares a message on social media urging peace

Pope Leo XIV shared a message of peace in his debut social…
Newark Airport problems and recent crashes put focus on air traffic controller shortage and aging equipment

Recent incidents and issues at Newark Airport highlight the shortage of air traffic controllers and outdated equipment

The recent issue of chronic delays and flight cancellations at the largest…
Violent Venezuelan gang exploits technology to turbocharge its dominance: experts

Experts say a dangerous gang in Venezuela is using technology to strengthen its control.

The brutal Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), which has rapidly…
Tom Brady is a 'two-faced hypocrite', says Skip Bayless in blistering new attack over Shedeur Sanders

Skip Bayless accuses Tom Brady of being a hypocrite in a scathing new criticism about Shedeur Sanders

Skip Bayless has called out Tom Brady, branding him a ‘two-faced hypocrite’…
Pitch Perfect star Anna Camp reveals lesbian romance after marriage to male co-star broke down

Anna Camp, known for Pitch Perfect, opens up about her lesbian relationship following divorce from male co-star

Pitch Perfect star Anna Camp has come out of the closet and…
Feel the Bern of Senator Sander's Private Jet's Massive Carbon Dioxide Output

Experience the Environmental Impact of Senator Sanders’ Private Jet’s Significant Carbon Dioxide Emissions

One of the left’s actions that can’t help but make you chuckle…
11 Fort Dearborn Elementary School students taken to hospitals after possibly eating laced cookies in Brainerd: sources, parents

Sources and parents report that 11 students from Fort Dearborn Elementary School were taken to hospitals following suspected consumption of spiked cookies in Brainerd.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Eleven students from a South Side elementary school have…