Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, state news agency SANA reported, just one day after Washington formally removed him from its terrorism blacklist.
This historic trip—the first by a Syrian president since the country gained independence in 1946—will culminate in a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
Recognition of Progress
The State Department’s decision on Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist, a move analysts widely anticipated, was presented as a formal recognition of the new Syrian leadership’s shift in policy following the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott explained that the delisting was prompted by the Sharaa government meeting US demands, including cooperating on finding missing Americans and eliminating any remaining chemical weapons.
“These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,” Pigott stated. He added that the US hopes the move will promote “regional security and stability as well as an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process.”
A Global Transformation
Sharaa, whose rebel forces toppled the Assad regime, had his formerly Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, delisted by Washington as recently as July. Since taking power, the new Syrian leaders have actively worked to shed their violent past, projecting a moderate image aimed at gaining acceptance from both ordinary Syrians and the international community.
The Washington visit underscores Sharaa’s rapid emergence on the global stage. It follows his landmark September trip to the United Nations in New York, where he became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly. Furthermore, just last Thursday, Washington successfully led a Security Council vote to lift UN sanctions against him.
Michael Hanna, US program director for the International Crisis Group, called the White House visit a “further testament to the US commitment to the new Syria and a hugely symbolic moment for the country’s new leader, who thus marks another step in his astonishing transformation from militant leader to global statesman.”
Alliance and Aid on the Agenda
The primary focus of the talks is expected to center on regional security and the immense financial challenge of reconstruction.
- ISIS Alliance: Earlier this month, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack expressed hope that Sharaa would sign an agreement during his visit to join the international, US-led alliance against the Islamic State (ISIS).
- Military Presence: A diplomatic source informed AFP that the United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus to “coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel.”
- Rebuilding Funds: Sharaa is expected to seek massive financial aid to rebuild the country, which faces significant challenges after 13 years of brutal civil war. The World Bank conservatively estimated the cost of reconstruction at $216 billion in October.
The two leaders have met previously, with their first encounter taking place in Riyadh during President Trump’s regional tour in May.