The word “historic” has echoed across headlines following Monday’s meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on November 11, 2025. And this time, the description truly fits. For one, al-Sharaa, once known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani during his years as a terrorist leader, has become the first Syrian president ever to step inside the Oval Office since Syria gained independence from France in 1946.
Even more striking, the meeting demonstrates a bold example of U.S. realpolitik: nearly twenty-four years after the September 11 attacks, a man once linked to al-Qaeda is welcomed at the White House with full diplomatic honors. The meeting, held behind closed doors and accessed quietly through a secondary entrance, symbolizes the completion of al-Sharaa’s long rehabilitation, a journey reportedly supported by Trump himself. Just a year ago, he was still listed as a wanted terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head. Now, he’s a sitting president shaking hands with one of the world’s most controversial figures. But how did Ahmed al-Sharaa rise from militant commander to head of state – and now, to the White House? More importantly, what does this meeting mean for Syria’s future, the balance of power in the Middle East, and its delicate relationship with the West? Al-Sharaa’s Beginnings in Iraq Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad, was born on October 29, 1982, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to a Syrian Sunni Muslim family from Daraa and the Golan Heights.
He grew up in Syria’s capital, Damascus. His history with America began in 2003, when he pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda shortly after Washington invaded Iraq and fought against U.S. forces for more than three years. He was captured by American troops in 2006 and imprisoned for five years before being released in 2011. In 2011, a popular uprising against Syria’s Assad triggered a brutal government crackdown and led to all-out war. Al-Sharaa’s prominence grew when al-Baghdadi sent him to Syria to establish a branch of al-Qaeda called the Nusra Front. Upon his release in 2012, the 43-year-old created the al-Nusra Front to topple the government of Bashar al-Assad.
The U.S. immediately designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. As leader of the al-Nusra Front, al-Sharaa played a key role in launching attacks against U.S.-backed Syrian forces and coalition-aligned factions, prompting the U.S. State Department to place a $10 million bounty on his head. In the early 2020s, al-Sharaa reportedly grew tired of fighting. He merged the Nusra Front with other groups to form Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), becoming its emir and claiming to distance himself from al-Qaeda to focus on governing northwestern Syria. HTS established a technocratic administration called the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), controlling over four million people.
SSG collected taxes, issued IDs, and provided public services, while still planning attacks against Assad’s forces. His relationship with the U.S. and the West shifted positively in November 2024, when HTS, alongside Western-backed groups including the Free Syria Army, fought Iranian and Russian-backed Assad forces in an 11-day conflict, ultimately leading to the regime’s collapse.
Al-Sharaa, the Syrian President Al-Sharaa was named Syria’s transitional president in January 2025 after opposition forces launched a large-scale offensive that forced Bashar al-Assad to flee to Russia. He was empowered to form a temporary legislative council, and the Syrian constitution was suspended, according to the military command that led the offensive. Addressing the conference, al-Sharaa said the first priority in Syria was to fill a vacuum in government “in a legitimate and legal way.”
He also emphasized civil peace through transitional justice, rebuilding state institutions — especially the military and security forces — and developing the economy. Since his confirmation, most Western countries have begun lifting sanctions on Syria.
First Syrian Leader to Attend UN Assembly in 58 Years In September 2025, al-Sharaa became the first Syrian leader in 58 years to attend the United Nations General Assembly, meeting other world leaders. “The Syrian story is a story of struggle between good and evil,” he said. “For long years, we’ve suffered injustice and deprivation and oppression.
Then we rose in claiming our dignity.” Al-Sharaa Meets Trump at the Wehite House On Monday, November 10, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump met al-Sharaa, marking the first time a Syrian head of state visited the White House. Trump’s meeting comes after nearly 80 years of complicated U.S.–Syria relations, influenced by Syria’s proximity to Israel. From early efforts at recognition after World War II to Cold War alignments with the Soviet Union, and through the civil war and sanctions, relations have often been tense. Trump has sought to improve ties, revoking most U.S. sanctions in June 2025 and meeting al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia the previous May. Speaking after the meeting, Trump said: “He comes from a very tough place, and he’s a tough guy. I like him.” He added: “We’ll do everything we can to make Syria successful, because that’s part of the Middle East.
We have peace now in the Middle East – the first time that anyone can remember that ever happening.” Al-Sharaa later told Fox News that his past association with al-Qaeda was behind him and not discussed during the meeting. Syria is now a strategic U.S. partner in the Middle East, he said, and no longer a threat. Syrian Democratic Forces to Join Army Syria and the U.S. have agreed to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the Syrian army, according to the Foreign Ministry. This move aims to unify institutions and strengthen national security. The U.S. also supports a security agreement between Syria and Israel. A Fragile Hold on Power Al-Sharaa’s Washington visit crowns a year of rebranding and public diplomacy. Yet Syria’s greatest threats remain internal.
The transitional government has focused on international recognition, traveling to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and meeting world leaders, including Trump. Domestically, Syria faces serious challenges: Alawites targeted in sectarian violence, Druze courted by Israel to weaken Damascus, Kurds seeking autonomy for their role in fighting ISIS, and the rank-and-file jihadists who once supported al-Sharaa. Unlike regional and Western governments, these militants reject his “moderate” shift and could challenge his fragile authority over the medium to long term. How do you think Ahmed al-Sharaa’s relationship with the U.S. and other Western countries will impact peace in Syria and the region?
