Syria’s Jihadist-Turned-President Ahmad al-Sharaa Set for Historic White House Visit

Less than a year after seizing power in Syria, President Ahmad al-Sharaa is set to make a historic visit to the White House, marking a dramatic transformation from former jihadist to international statesman. The meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday will be the first-ever White House visit by a Syrian head of state, capping a whirlwind rise on the global stage.

Since appointing himself president in January, al-Sharaa has embarked on an ambitious diplomatic tour, with Monday’s visit representing his 20th foreign trip. He previously attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, making this his second visit to the United States. Yet this White House meeting carries the highest profile and stakes, as it brings together the US commander-in-chief and a leader who once faced American forces on the battlefield.

Al-Sharaa’s rise is remarkable. In his early twenties, he fought as an Islamist insurgent against US forces in Iraq. After being captured and later released, he crossed into Syria in 2011 and established an Al-Qaeda-backed rebel army to oppose then-President Bashar al-Assad. Over more than a decade of brutal civil war, he launched a surprise offensive that swiftly toppled the Assad dynasty, ending decades of autocratic rule and Russian-aligned control in Damascus.

In May, following a brief meeting brokered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump described al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy” with a “very strong past” and ordered the lifting of some US sanctions, though the most stringent measures remain in place. During the White House visit, al-Sharaa aims to push for further easing of sanctions and urge the US to pressure Israel to halt attacks and withdraw troops from southern Syria.

Al-Sharaa has also sought to balance relations with Russia, which maintains a military base in Tartus and supported the Assad regime during the civil war. His recent visit to Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin reflects his cautious diplomacy, aiming to avoid confrontation with a key regional power while pursuing ties with Western nations.

The Syrian leader is now on a global diplomatic charm offensive, backed by regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, who see an opportunity to fill the power and economic vacuum left by Iran and Russia. For the US, engaging with al-Sharaa represents both a strategic opportunity and a significant gamble, given instability in neighboring Lebanon and the presence of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

Experts note that al-Sharaa’s foreign policy reflects a new era of strategic balance, where developing nations seek to avoid full alignment with any major power. His meetings with both Putin and Trump underscore Syria’s effort to reshape its global standing and end years of isolation.

Monday’s White House visit is more than a diplomatic milestone, it is a symbolic testament to the extraordinary transformation of Ahmad al-Sharaa from insurgent fighter to a central player on the world stage.