Trump Praises 'Attractive, Tough Fighter' Syrian Leader, Once A US-Designated Terrorist
Last Updated:
Donald Trump's praise for Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa came after a meeting in Riyadh, marking a departure from decades of US policy.
US President Donald Trump lauded Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), as a 'young, attractive, tough guy" with a 'real shot at doing a good job" rebuilding war-torn Syria. This praise came after a meeting in Riyadh, marking a departure from decades of US policy.
The meeting, held at the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, followed Donald Trump's decision to lift sweeping sanctions against Syria, imposed by the US since 1979.
Donald Trump Praises Ahmad al-Sharaa
Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One, described Ahmad al-Sharaa as a 'fighter" with a 'very strong past," expressing optimism about his ability to 'hold it together" in Syria. He also mentioned that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 'who is very friendly with him," shared this sentiment.
⚡️🇺🇸🇸🇾JUST IN: U.S President Trump speaking about Syria's President Al-Sharaa:Young, attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He's got a real shot at holding it together. pic.twitter.com/yI23Qb7omn
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) May 14, 2025
Why Donald Trump's Meeting With Ahmad al-Sharaa Is Significant
The meeting, the first between a US president and a Syrian leader in 25 years, saw Donald Trump urging Ahmad al-Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel. Despite lifting sanctions, Donald Trump did not indicate any intention to remove Syria from the US blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation stemming from its support of Palestinian militants.
The lifting of sanctions represents a significant boost for Syria, which is still recovering from the aftermath of Ahmad al-Sharaa's December ousting of Bashar al-Assad. This shift in US policy signals a potential realignment of geopolitical forces in the Middle East, even as questions remain about the long-term implications of engaging with a leader with Ahman al-Sharaa's controversial past.
Ahman al-Sharaa Was Once A Designated Terrorist
Until December 2024, Ahmad al-Sharaa led the rebel forces that overthrew Bashar al-Assad. Ahmad al-Sharaa was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani and was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)- an offshoot of al-Qaeda.
Ahmad Al-Sharaa himself was designated a terrorist by the US in 2013, and a $10 million bounty was placed on his head. He publicly broke with both ISIS and al-Qaeda by 2021 as he focused on fighting against the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
First Published:
May 15, 2025, 09:19 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Iran says US travel ban reflects 'racist mentality'
Tehran denounced on Saturday the US travel ban on Iranians and citizens of 11 other mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, saying Washington's decision was a sign of a " racist mentality ". US President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order reviving sweeping restrictions that echo his first-term travel ban, justified on national security grounds following a firebomb attack at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado. Alireza Hashemi-Raja, the foreign ministry's director general for the affairs of Iranians abroad, called the measure, which takes effect June 9, "a clear sign of the dominance of a supremacist and racist mentality among American policymakers". The decision "indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian and Muslim people", he added in a statement released by the ministry. Apart from Iran, the US ban targets nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. A partial ban was imposed on travellers from seven other countries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo Hashemi-Raja said the policy "violates fundamental principles of international law" and deprives "hundreds of millions of people of the right to travel based solely on their nationality or religion". The foreign ministry official said that the ban was discriminatory and would "entail international responsibility for the US government", without elaborating. Iran and the US severed diplomatic ties shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and relations have remained deeply strained since. Live Events
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Can Donald Trump Ban Elon Musk's X In US Amid Escalating Feud?
Last Updated: Donald Trump could potentially designate X a national security risk and ban it through executive authority, an expert said. As the fallout between US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk deepens, a tech expert suggested that the White House could consider invoking national security powers to act against Elon Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Devan Leos, a tech entrepreneur and AI expert, told the New York Post that if tensions continue to rise, Donald Trump could potentially designate X a national security risk and ban it through executive authority. Can Donald Trump Ban X In US? 'The President possesses executive authority to declare X a national security risk, which would permit him to ban the platform outright," Devan Leos said. Devan Leos also warned that any retaliatory move by Elon Musk could invite further escalation. 'That would almost certainly trigger an executive response from the White House," he said. He added that past remarks by Elon Musk, particularly any reference to classified or sensitive information, could be used as legal grounds for action under national security provisions. Donald Trump has historically leaned on executive powers, including those derived from emergency statutes. An Associated Press analysis found that 30 of his 150 executive orders during his first term invoked some form of emergency authority- much more than recent presidents. Donald Trump warned of 'serious consequences" if Elon Musk follows through on threats to fund Democratic challengers as he made it clear that his relationship with Elon Musk is effectively over, following a series of public exchanges between the two. In an interview with NBC News, Donald Trump said he has no interest in reconciling with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, accusing Elon Musk of being 'disrespectful to the office of the President." Donald Trump also dismissed Elon Musk's recent online criticism, including now-deleted posts linking the US President to Jeffrey Epstein, calling it 'old news." About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" First Published:
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Next Round of US-China Trade Talks in London as Beijing Eases Rare Earth Curbs, Unveils AI Torpedo
The next round of U.S.-China trade talks is scheduled to take place in London on Monday, June 9, 2025. This follows a significant development where Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to resume the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets to the United States. This agreement came after a rare phone call between President Donald Trump and President Xi, aimed at addressing ongoing trade disputes, particularly regarding China's earlier suspension of critical mineral exports. The resumption of these exports is expected to ease trade tensions and stabilize global supply chains essential to automakers, chip producers, and defense contractors .00:00 INTRODUCTION02:29 CHINA ISSUES RARE EARTH LICENSES TO SUPPLIERS OF TOP 3 US AUTOMAKERS?04:36 US SUSPENDS LICENSES TO SHIP NUCLEAR PLANT PARTS TO CHINA05:30 WORLD'S LARGEST NAVY BECOMES SMARTER AND DEADLIER WITH ADVANCED AI TORPEDOES n18oc_crux
