A senior Trump administration official confirmed that Syria will join the international coalition to combat the Islamic State group, marking a notable shift in U.S. policy in the Middle East.
The announcement followed a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa — the first visit by a Syrian leader to the White House in the nation’s history. In an interview with Fox News, al-Sharaa called the visit the start of a “new era” of cooperation with the United States.
Syria will become the coalition’s 90th member, officials said, joining efforts to eliminate remaining IS elements and curb the flow of foreign fighters to the region. The Treasury, State and Commerce departments are expected to unveil measures aimed at lifting certain economic restrictions on Syria and providing “compliance clarity for investors.”
Among the steps announced is an 180-day suspension of the Caesar Act, the 2019 U.S. law that imposed sanctions on the former Syrian government. Administration officials said the moves are intended to support Syria’s recovery and encourage investment while giving Washington tools to monitor the new government’s behavior.
Speaking in the Oval Office after the meeting, President Trump said the U.S. wants to see “Syria become a country that’s very successful” and expressed confidence in al-Sharaa’s ability to lead reconstruction efforts. Diplomatic ties between Washington and Damascus, suspended since 2012, will be reset to allow Syria to reopen an embassy in Washington.
This was the third encounter between Trump and al-Sharaa, following meetings in May at the Gulf Cooperation Council and a dinner during last September’s U.N. General Assembly.
Al-Sharaa’s trajectory is striking. He once led a branch of al‑Qaeda before breaking away and later became head of Hayat Tahrir al‑Sham, an armed Islamist group the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization until four months ago. A $10 million bounty that had been posted for him was removed when he was taken off the U.S. “specially designated global terrorist list,” the Treasury Department said last week.
As interim president, al-Sharaa has sought to soften his image and appealed for foreign support to rebuild Syria after 13 years of war. Trump acknowledged al-Sharaa’s past, saying, “He has had a rough past… if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.” Al-Sharaa told Fox News their discussions focused on Syria’s present and future role as a geopolitical and economic partner of the U.S., not his past.
Al-Sharaa’s tenure has been controversial, with reports of killings affecting members of Syria’s Alawite minority and clashes involving Sunni Bedouin fighters and Druze militias. He has pledged to identify and remove security personnel responsible for human rights abuses.
The White House said the administration will closely monitor the new Syrian government’s actions, including any steps toward normalizing ties with Israel and efforts to address foreign terrorist and militant groups operating inside Syria.
