President Trump will host Syria's transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Monday in a first-ever visit by a Syrian leader to the White House, signaling a dramatic shift in Syria's global standing. Al-Sharaa, who rose from leading the formerly terrorist-labeled Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in a campaign that ousted Bashar Assad last year, is now seen by Washington as Syria's best hope for stabilization after over a decade of civil war and decades of authoritarian rule. The US, under both Biden and Trump administrations, has warmed to al-Sharaa, with the Trump administration now pushing to end Syria's four-decade-long inclusion on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and to lift sanctions, per the Hill.
Not all in Congress are convinced by al-Sharaa's transformation or the wisdom of repealing the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which was imposed to punish the Assad regime for atrocities and restrict international business with Damascus. Some lawmakers insist the sanctions are a vital lever to ensure the new government meets US benchmarks for minority rights and justice, especially after recent incidents of sectarian violence. However, a larger bipartisan group and some advocates argue the sanctions now hobble Syria's recovery, with the economy in ruins. The administration has already moved to delist al-Sharaa and key officials from global terrorist rolls, citing progress in fighting terrorism and drugs, and on locating missing Americans.
Trump views a stable Syria as key to curbing Iranian influence and sees Syrian participation in the Abraham Accords and the international coalition against ISIS as steps toward broader Middle East realignment. During his White House visit, Al-Sharaa is expected to announce Syria will offer help in the fight against ISIS, per the Hill. He's also expected to ask Trump to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on Syria and to withdraw its troops, per CNN. (This follows a historic meeting in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.)
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