'Attractive guy': Trump's praise for Saudi President, formerly linked to al-Qaeda

Once linked to the al-Qaeda, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has now become a figure of admiration for US President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday referred to him as a "young attractive guy". After meeting with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, Trump expressed hope in his potential and said "he's got a real shot at holding it together".

Trump urged al-Sharaa to join countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, which normalised ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

The US President has expressed interest in normalising relations with Syria, beginning with the historic meeting with al-Sharaa.

Al-Sharaa, who once pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, rose to power at the head of a group that the US has long labelled as a terrorist organisation.

Trump has now signalled a major shift in US policy toward Syria by announcing plans to lift sanctions on the regime, a move that could redefine relations in the region. Despite resistance within some sectors of his administration over al-Sharaa's past ties to al-Qaeda, Trump has made it clear that he is pushing forward with plans to engage with Syria.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the update about the meeting on X and said that "President Trump encouraged President al-Sharaa to do a great job for the Syrian people"

She said that Trump primarily urged al-Sharaa for five things:

Trump also announced major deals, including a USD 600 billion Saudi investment in the US and USD 142 billion in American arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

With Reuters inputs