President Trump met with Syria's interim President on Wednesday, a day after lifting sanctions and marking a major policy shift towards peace and rebuilding relations.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday hailed US President Donald Trump’s “bold” decision to lift long-standing sanctions on Syria, declaring it a turning point for the country’s future. “Today marks the beginning of serious work and the launch of modern Syria’s journey,” al-Sharaa said in a televised address to the nation.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) touted President Trump’s efforts to thaw tensions with the new government in Syria, describing the move as strategically savvy, though risky. “When the

President Donald Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will ease sanctions on Syria could eventually facilitate the country’s recovery from years of civil war and transform the lives of everyday Syrians.

P resident Donald Trump announced on Tuesday, May 13, that he plans to end the U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria, which have been in place for over 45 years. Announcing the news on the first day of his Middle East tour, during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, Trump said he would be lifting sanctions “in order to give them [Syria] greatness.”

Sharaa, earlier known as Abu Mohammed al Joulani, had been imprisoned at Abu Ghraib as a member of the Iraqi ISIS faction. Trump describes

When the leader of Syria shook hands with U.S. President Donald Trump, it was a striking moment for a man who was an al-Qaida fighter in Iraq and was detained by the American military.

The new Syrian president courted the White House with multiple offers, including a proposal to build a Trump Tower in his country’s capital, in an effort to diffuse tensions between the U.S. and Damascus.