Syria’s Al-Sharaa Says he Wants to Meet with President Trump Again

Erbil (Kurdistan24) – Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa declared his readiness to meet U.S. President Donald Trump again, stressing the necessity of restoring relations “in a good and direct way,” during an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes host Margaret Brennan. His remarks, delivered ahead of his address to the United Nations General Assembly, underline a profound transformation in Syria’s political trajectory nearly one year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Just a year ago, al-Sharaa risked arrest had he attempted to travel to New York. The United States had placed a $10 million bounty on him over his past connections to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, groups he later renounced. In December 2024, he led the rebel forces that toppled Assad in “Operation Deterrence of Aggression,” ending decades of authoritarian rule. Assad’s government had become synonymous with bombings, chemical weapons, and mass displacement. Al-Sharaa accused the former regime of destroying entire communities and driving 14 million Syrians into displacement, asserting that his leadership had restored hope for their return.

Al-Sharaa told 60 Minutes that Syria urgently needs foreign investment for reconstruction. He welcomed Trump’s June decision to temporarily waive some U.S. sanctions, but cautioned that lasting recovery depends on broader action from Congress, the UN, and European governments to permanently lift restrictions. “Anybody who stands against the lifting of sanctions would be complicit in killing the Syrian people once again,” he warned.

Asked directly whether he hoped to meet Trump again while on U.S. soil, al-Sharaa replied affirmatively. “President Trump took a big step towards Syria by lifting the sanctions with a quick, courageous, and historic decision,” he said. “He recognized that Syria should be safe, stable, and unified. This is in the greatest interest for all countries of the world, not just Syria. We must restore relations in a good and direct way.”

The Syrian leader rejected the notion that he is merely a pragmatist who changes to suit circumstances. “Today, we have really saved the people from the oppression of the criminal regime,” he insisted. He pointed to achievements under his leadership: confronting ISIS, expelling Iranian militias and Hezbollah, and protecting Syrians from chemical attacks. He contrasted these actions with what he described as the international community’s failure to free prisoners, break sieges, or prevent chemical weapons use. “We should not be the ones standing accused,” he said. “The question is why did the world remain silent while these crimes unfolded in Syria?”

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Sunday, leading a senior delegation to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The visit marks the first trip by a Syrian head of state to the U.S. since 1967 and comes at a time of major political transition in Damascus.

According to Syria’s presidential media office, al-Sharaa’s visit will last five days and is expected to include a series of high-level meetings. Syrian state television reported that the president is accompanied by at least four ministers, underscoring the weight of the delegation. Later on Sunday evening, al-Sharaa is scheduled to meet with members of the Syrian diaspora in the U.S.

This trip is expected to open the door for discussions on restoring diplomatic ties between Washington and Damascus, including the reopening of the Syrian embassy in the U.S. capital. Al-Sharaa will also deliver a speech before the UN General Assembly, the first by a Syrian president since Nur al-Din al-Atasi’s address following the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war, widely known in the Arab world as the Naksa.

The visit comes just months after U.S. President Donald Trump met al-Sharaa in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. During that encounter, Trump hailed the Syrian leader as a “charismatic, strong, and resilient fighter with a powerful past,” and expressed optimism that al-Sharaa could “keep Syria together.” The Riyadh meeting also saw Trump announce his intention to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, signaling a possible thaw in relations. Reports from CBS News on September 19 indicated that preparations were underway for a follow-up meeting between the two leaders in New York during the UN gathering.

Al-Sharaa’s presence in New York underscores the rapid transformation of Syria’s political landscape following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024. A former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known previously as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, al-Sharaa assumed the presidency after spearheading “Operation Deterrence of Aggression,” which toppled Assad’s decades-long rule. His emergence has been described as a turning point that redefined Syria’s trajectory and reintroduced the country into international diplomacy after years of isolation.

In remarks to Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper on September 19, al-Sharaa warned that failure to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian army by the end of 2025 could trigger Turkish military intervention. He accused divisions within both the SDF and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of obstructing the implementation of agreements and cautioned that Ankara’s patience “may run out by year’s end.”

While recognizing the March 10 framework—backed by both Washington and Ankara—for resolving disputes with the SDF, al-Sharaa dismissed calls for federalism or decentralization, describing them as “a cover for separatist ambitions.” He argued that existing Syrian law already grants significant autonomy, amounting to ninety percent of local administrative authority.

Recounting his meeting with SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, al-Sharaa said he made clear: “If you come to demand Kurdish rights, there is no need. My principle is that Kurds are equal Syrian citizens, and I am more concerned about their rights than you are.”

In a televised interview on September 13, al-Sharaa outlined Syria’s recalibrated foreign policy, acknowledging that Damascus has engaged in security negotiations with Israel to revive the 1974 disengagement agreement signed after the October War. He accused Israel of exploiting instability to pursue partition and warned against efforts to turn Syria into a battleground in its confrontation with Iran.

Al-Sharaa stressed that Israel had treated Syria as having “exited” the pact after Assad’s downfall, but insisted Damascus remains committed to the agreement and is seeking to restore the pre-December 8 status quo. The disclosure marked the first public confirmation of such contacts, reflecting Damascus’s bid to reinsert itself as a serious actor in regional security arrangements.

The last time a Syrian president visited the U.S. was in June 1967, when President Nur al-Din al-Atasi addressed the UN General Assembly in the aftermath of the Arab defeat in the Six-Day War. Al-Sharaa’s arrival in New York, nearly six decades later, signals not only a dramatic diplomatic reentry but also a reshaping of Syria’s role on the world stage.

As the interim leader prepares to deliver his first UN address, he seeks to project an image of a Syria reborn—no longer defined by narcotics, terrorism, or refugee flows, but by sovereignty, stability, and international engagement. Yet his warnings on the SDF, his overtures to Israel, and his strained ties with Iran reveal the delicate balancing act Damascus must navigate as it attempts to reposition itself amid regional rivalries and shifting global alliances.

Updated 8:24 PM