In a stunning and dramatic reversal of U.S. policy, President Donald Trump will host Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House for formal talks. The meeting, reportedly scheduled for November 10, 2025, will be the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to Washington, D.C., in U.S. history.
The historic engagement signals a profound shift in the U.S. approach to the new government in Damascus, which was formed after the fall of the Assad family’s 50-year rule in December 2024. Al-Sharaa, who as a former militant leader once had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, has been embraced by the Trump administration as a key to regional stability.
This visit will be the third meeting between the two leaders in 2025. They first met in Saudi Arabia in May—the first encounter between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years—and again on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
The Washington summit is not just symbolic. According to U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, al-Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement for Syria to formally join the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS. This move would cement Syria’s realignment with the West and comes as the U.S. is simultaneously pushing for Syria and Israel to finalize a U.S-mediated de-escalation agreement.
The new policy is a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s “America First” diplomacy, which aims to build a new regional peace framework. In May, President Trump announced he was lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria “to give them a chance at greatness.”
However, the move is setting off fireworks in foreign policy circles. Critics point to al-Sharaa’s past as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, an al-Qaida-linked militant who battled U.S. forces in Iraq. Supporters, however, have praised Trump’s “bold” decision to engage with the new reality in Syria, viewing it as a pragmatic path to stabilize the country and counter Iranian influence.
