President Trump met Monday with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House, formally welcoming Syria into a U.S.-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS.
The closed-door Oval Office meeting, held without press access, marked the first visit by a Syrian head of state since the country’s independence in 1946. Trump later told reporters he had “confidence” in al-Sharaa and pledged American support for Syria’s reconstruction and development efforts.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met with Syrian and Turkish officials to advance a stalled agreement integrating the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces into the new Syrian army. Al-Sharaa, who led the uprising that toppled Bashar Assad last year, is seeking a permanent repeal of U.S. sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act.
The Treasury Department announced Monday that the waiver of those sanctions will be extended for another 180 days.
