The meeting, on the sidelines of Trump's get-together with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, marks a major turn of events for a Syria still adjusting to life after the over 50-year, iron-gripped rule of the Assad family.
Trump praised al-Sharaa to reporters after the meeting on Air Force One, saying he was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
Under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa had ties to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian war He was even imprisoned by U.S. troops there for several years.
“He’s got a real shot at holding it together," Trump said. "He’s a real leader. He led a charge and he’s pretty amazing.”
Trump had announced the day before as he kicked off his three-nation Middle East tour in Riyadh that he would also move to lift U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria under the deposed autocrat Bashar Assad.
People in Syria cheered in the streets and set off fireworks on Tuesday night to celebrate, hopeful their nation — locked out of credit cards and global finance — might rejoin the world's economy when they need investments the most.
Trump said al-Sharaa had agreed to join the Abraham Accords and eventually recognize Israel, but Syria hasn't confirmed that. Trump told reporters, “I think they have to get themselves straightened up. I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to join when it’s straightened out.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ But they have a lot of work to do.”
