Historic Summit: President Trump Hosts Syrian Leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at White House as Syria Joins Anti-ISIS Coalition

President Donald Trump is welcoming Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House on Monday, marking a historic diplomatic milestone as Syria joins the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State group.

This unprecedented visit represents the first time a Syrian head of state has been received at the White House since Syria gained independence from France in 1946. The meeting follows the United States' decision to lift sanctions that were imposed during the decades-long Assad family rule.

Al-Sharaa, who led rebel forces that overthrew former Syrian President Bashar Assad last December, was appointed as the country's interim leader in January. Despite his previous ties to al-Qaida and once having a $10 million US bounty on his head, Trump and al-Sharaa initially met in May during a summit in Saudi Arabia.

During their first encounter, President Trump characterized al-Sharaa as a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter." The meeting marked the first official interaction between the United States and Syria since 2000, when former President Bill Clinton met with Hafez Assad, Bashar Assad's father.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Monday's visit is "part of the president's efforts in diplomacy to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace."

Trump has recently expressed satisfaction with al-Sharaa's leadership, noting that he is "doing a very good job so far" and that "a lot of progress has been made with Syria" since sanctions were eased.

According to an administration official familiar with the plans, Syria's integration into the global coalition combating the Islamic State will facilitate closer cooperation with US forces. However, the new Syrian military and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria had already been engaged in fighting against the group.

Prior to al-Sharaa's arrival in Washington, the United Nations Security Council voted to lift sanctions on the Syrian president and other government officials. Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, described this as a strong indication that Syria has entered a new era following Assad's downfall.

Al-Sharaa arrives with clear objectives for the meeting. He is seeking a permanent repeal of the Caesar Act sanctions that were imposed due to widespread allegations of human rights abuses by Assad's government. While Trump has temporarily waived these sanctions, a permanent repeal would require congressional action.

Two legislative proposals are currently under consideration. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has put forward a proposal that would end sanctions unconditionally. Alternatively, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican Trump ally from South Carolina, has drafted legislation that would establish conditions for sanctions repeal, subject to review every six months.

Advocates for unconditional repeal argue that any conditions would discourage business investment in Syria due to ongoing fears of potential sanctions. Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, described conditional sanctions relief as a "hanging shadow that paralyzes any initiatives for our country."