Trump Meets With Syria’s Al-Qaeda Leader-Turned President, Praises His ‘Strong Past’
On Wednesday, President Trump met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the founder of al-Qaeda in Syria, who became the country’s de facto leader after his rebranded group of jihadists, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), took power in Damascus in December 2024.
Trump said he had a “very good” meeting with Sharaa, who was previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. “Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump said on Air Force One.
The president met with Sharaa in Saudi Arabia with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before heading to Qatar. The meeting came a day after President Trump announced that he would lift sanctions on Syria.
