Follow Us;Resize=(820,462) "Syrian President Al Sharaa")
Jonathan Bass, an American pro-Trump activist, allegedly met Sharaa for four hours in Damascus on April 30 to push for a meeting.
Riyadh: US President Donald Trump may meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia during his four-day trip to the Middle East, though the meeting has not been officially confirmed. The meeting would mark a rare engagement between Washington and Damascus, especially given the longstanding tensions and the US sanctions imposed on Syria. The four-day trip, which extends until Friday, will see Trump visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Al Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has been enlisted as a terrorist by the US due to his terror links in the past. He distanced himself from Al-Qaeda in 2016, leading to the formation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a coalition of Muslim groups. Al Sharaa, who became the Syrian President in 2025, has still not been de-listed as a terrorist by the US.
According to reports, the Syrian President has offered to build better ties with Israel and US, construct a Trump Tower in Damascus, give access to Syria's oil and gas in exchange for a relief in sanctions. Jonathan Bass, an American pro-Trump activist, allegedly met Sharaa for four hours in Damascus on April 30 to push for a meeting.
Related Articles
Recently, Trump had said a decision would be taken on the sanctions against Syria while speaking to reporters. "We may take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start. Many people have asked me about that, because the way we have them sanctioned, it doesn't really give them much of a start. So we want to see we can help them out. So we'll make that determination," he added.
‘Focus on security, technology, trade’
Trump aims for a 'historic return' to the Middle East, encompassing these Gulf nations. He had previously stated that his first foreign trip after his second inauguration would be to Saudi Arabia. Eight years ago, he also chose Riyadh for his first foreign visit as president. Air Force One, carrying Trump, will arrive in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, today. The Saudi cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Amir Mohammed bin Salman, welcomed US President Donald Trump's official visit to Saudi Arabia.
From Riyadh, he will proceed to Qatar and finally to the UAE. The visit will primarily focus on strategic security agreements, technology, trade, and investment partnerships. Discussions are expected to cover issues including Gaza and the Ukraine conflict resolution. Trillion-dollar joint investment agreements are also anticipated.
