Trump: I was the reason for Ahmed al Sharaa’s rise to the presidency in Syria
US President Donald Trump said Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa, who he said had a practical role in his rise to the presidency, was “doing an extraordinary job”.
Trump explained that Sharaa is a tough figure, and perhaps not perfect, but the circumstances, as he put it, require strong leadership capable of getting things done.
He stressed that Syria, in his view, is moving towards more unity and is moving on a positive path, pointing out that the Sharaa’s treatment of the Kurds so far has been good.
Trump described his Syrian counterpart, in a press conference in late January 2026, as “a strong man and a hard worker,” noting that they had made several phone calls during the past period.
The last meeting between the two leaders took place at the White House in November 2025, after a previous meeting in Saudi Arabia six months earlier, when Trump announced plans to lift sanctions.
The United States later announced that Ahmed al Sharaa was no longer on the list of “Specially Designated Global Terrorism”.
