Sharaa, becoming the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader. The meeting marked a historic thaw in US-Syria relations, as Trump earlier announced the lifting of crippling sanctions imposed during the erstwhile Assad regime.

Al-Sharaa’s recent overtures included proposing US economic ventures in Syria, such as a Trump Tower in Damascus and access to oil and gas fields—moves widely seen as aimed at attracting Western investment and securing political legitimacy.

US President Donald Trump speaks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on the day of the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, in Riyadh. Donald Trump also held talks with Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces brought down the long-standing Assad dictatorship.