President Donald Trump departed from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning, but not before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made another incredible gesture to the 47th president.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman went with Trump and remained on the tarmac until Trump boarded Air Force One. Trump and bin Salman waved at each other, and Trump put his hand over his heart while gesturing.
Trump met with Syria’s temporary president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, emphasizing the extraordinary reversal of fortunes for a former Islamist fighter with connections to al Qaeda who spent years with a US government reward placed on his head.
Trump’s decision to meet with al-Sharaa, which comes after other European leaders have done the same, might provide a significant boost to the new Syrian administration as it attempts to reestablish connections with the West. Those connections were marred by harsh sanctions and animosity during and after the Middle Eastern country’s horrific civil war, which began in 2011.
In a readout of the two leaders’ meeting in Saudi Arabia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump told the Syrian leader that “he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,” and urged him to join Saudi Arabia in signing the US-backed Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel.
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The meeting came after Trump announced on his visit to Saudi Arabia that his administration would lift U.S. sanctions on Syria “to give them a chance at greatness.”
“The sanctions were brutal and crippling, and served … an important function, nevertheless, at the time, but now it’s their [Syrians’] time to shine. I say good luck, Syria. Show us something very special,” Trump said in a speech on Tuesday.
In her readout on Wednesday, Leavitt said, “President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi Arabia to encourage peace and prosperity in Syria. The Crown Prince also commended President Trump for his decision to lift the sanctions, calling it courageous.”
She said Al-Sharaa had thanked Mr. Trump, along with MBS and Erdogan, “for their efforts to put together the meeting, and recognized the significant opportunity presented by the Iranians leaving Syria, as well as shared U.S.-Syrian interests in countering terrorism and eliminating chemical weapons.”
Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, following a spectacular fighter jet escort across the kingdom’s airspace.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Trump on the runway as he threw a fist pump. Bin Salman led him down a purple carpet to a conference room where the country’s de facto ruler held a coffee ceremony.
Trump was joined by Cabinet members, such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The sidewalks of the hot Saudi capital were adorned with American flags for the visit, while mobile billboards along the route this week advertised the recently announced Disney Abu Dhabi theme park in the adjacent United Arab Emirates.
Trump’s crowded schedule on Tuesday will include a speech to an investment roundtable with tech industry leaders like as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman, followed by a state supper.
Trump’s three-nation visit to the Middle East, which includes Qatar and the UAE, will focus on attracting investment for the United States.
Trump’s 17th week in office will be spent preparing for his journey to the Middle East, his first big overseas trip of the second term.
