A year after toppling Assad, Syria's Sharaa wins over the White House with his pragmatic approach to governance, earning the US president's support. The Syrian Interim President had previously been an associate of the Islamic State militant group and Al-Qaeda, but has since transformed into a more pragmatic statesman.
Sharaa's partnership with Trump marks a significant shift in regional politics, as the US leader has chosen to work with the former rebel chief despite concerns about his past extremist activities. The White House has announced lifting sanctions on Syria, which Assad had imposed during his rule.
David Lesch, professor of Middle East History at Trinity University, notes that Sharaa's transformation is stunning, but also fraught with challenges. "Sharaa faces a not uncommon conundrum typically associated with vigorous, if not extremist, revolutionary movements," he said. "How does he keep the hardcore jihadists who helped him come to power satisfied and under control while proclaiming he wants an inclusive society?"
The Syrian government is working to stabilize the country, which has been ravaged by 14 years of conflict and 50 years of Baathist rule. Bassam Barabandi, a Syrian diplomat who defected from Assad's government in 2013, said that "Syrians do understand the current situation... They are supporting Sharaa, maybe not because of his background."
Trump's support for Sharaa reflects the US president's campaign goals of establishing a legacy as global peacemaker. The White House is striving to maintain a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas over a conflict that produced regional unrest contributing to Assad's fall.
The budding partnership between Trump and Sharaa has taken some of those around Sharaa by surprise, but they see it as a pragmatic move by the US leader. "The rapid rapprochement between President Trump and President Sharaa represents one of the most unexpected diplomatic shifts in the region," said Mahmoud Toron, business and economic adviser to the Syrian government.
Sharaa's transformation from Islamist rebel chief to pragmatic statesman has proven even more stunning than his sudden ousting of Assad. His partnership with Trump marks a significant shift in regional politics, as the US leader has chosen to work with the former rebel chief despite concerns about his past extremist activities.
The White House official cited President Trump's statement on Truth Social reading, “the United States is very satisfied with the results displayed, through hard work and determination, in the Country of Syria.”
Sharaa's partnership with Trump marks a significant shift in regional politics, as the US leader has chosen to work with the former rebel chief despite concerns about his past extremist activities. The White House has announced lifting sanctions on Syria, which Assad had imposed during his rule.
David Lesch, professor of Middle East History at Trinity University, notes that Sharaa's transformation is stunning, but also fraught with challenges. "Sharaa faces a not uncommon conundrum typically associated with vigorous, if not extremist, revolutionary movements," he said. "How does he keep the hardcore jihadists who helped him come to power satisfied and under control while proclaiming he wants an inclusive society?"
The Syrian government is working to stabilize the country, which has been ravaged by 14 years of conflict and 50 years of Baathist rule. Bassam Barabandi, a Syrian diplomat who defected from Assad's government in 2013, said that "Syrians do understand the current situation... They are supporting Sharaa, maybe not because of his background."
Trump's support for Sharaa reflects the US president's campaign goals of establishing a legacy as global peacemaker. The White House is striving to maintain a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas over a conflict that produced regional unrest contributing to Assad's fall.
The budding partnership between Trump and Sharaa has taken some of those around Sharaa by surprise, but they see it as a pragmatic move by the US leader. "The rapid rapprochement between President Trump and President Sharaa represents one of the most unexpected diplomatic shifts in the region," said Mahmoud Toron, business and economic adviser to the Syrian government.
Sharaa's transformation from Islamist rebel chief to pragmatic statesman has proven even more stunning than his sudden ousting of Assad. His partnership with Trump marks a significant shift in regional politics, as the US leader has chosen to work with the former rebel chief despite concerns about his past extremist activities.
The White House official cited President Trump's statement on Truth Social reading, “the United States is very satisfied with the results displayed, through hard work and determination, in the Country of Syria.”
I'm not sure how we've gone from having a guy associated with ISIS to now getting US backing. I mean, I get it, stability in Syria is important, but isn't there more you can do than just lift sanctions and call him pragmatic? 
It feels like the White House is playing a game of "let's work with whoever is in power, no matter how sketchy their past". And what about Assad's people? Are they happy about this new development? 
It sounds like a classic case of "opportunist on the move" to me. And what about those hardcore jihadists who helped him rise to power? How's he gonna keep them happy and in line without turning into an extremist himself? 
I'm worried this partnership is just a PR stunt to boost Trump's legacy, rather than a genuine attempt at regional peacekeeping. Not buying it 
, US supportin a guy who used to be all about joinin ISIS & Al-Qaeda? that's some wild stuff bro 
. i mean sharaa's gotta navigate this super tricky situation where he's gotta keep the hardcore jihadis happy while tryin to build an inclusive society... it's like, how's he gonna do that? 
. I mean, it's definitely a bold move by the US president to try and broker peace in Syria. But at the same time, it raises some red flags about how we're going to hold people accountable for their actions in the past 
. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out...
. I mean, he was part of the same group as ISIS and Al-Qaeda but now he's a changed man 
. It just goes to show that people can change their ways if they want to. Trump's being all diplomatic about it too, saying Syria's "hard work and determination" is what's satisfying him 
.
Sharaa's transformation is wild but what's with all these extremists still hangin out? how's he gonna keep them happy while claimin he wants an inclusive society?