President Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, urging him to normalize relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords. The meeting came just hours after Trump announced the United States would lift all sanctions on Syria—a major policy shift that could reshape regional alliances.
The encounter took place ahead of a summit between the United States and Gulf Arab states. Sharaa, who once pledged allegiance to al Qaeda and rose to power leading a group the U.S. previously designated a terrorist organization, now leads Syria’s government amid shifting dynamics in the Middle East.
According to a post by the White House press secretary on X, Trump encouraged Sharaa to follow the path taken by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, which normalized ties with Israel under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020. A Washington Post pool report quoted Trump as saying he believed Syria would eventually join.
“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,” Trump said. The president confirmed Tuesday that all sanctions on Syria would be lifted, signaling a dramatic change in U.S. foreign policy.
The outreach to Syria—long considered one of Israel’s most hostile adversaries—along with continued U.S. talks with Iran, has fueled concern in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition have been largely sidelined as Washington appears to prioritize broader regional realignments over traditional alliances.
Israeli officials continue to regard Sharaa as a jihadist figure, despite his break with al Qaeda in 2016. Israel has also called Iran’s nuclear ambitions an “existential threat” and remains wary of any U.S. engagement with either regime.
After the meeting, Trump praised Sharaa as “a young, attractive guy with a very strong past,” adding, “He’s got a real shot at holding it together.”
