Syria Joins US Coalition Against IS After Historic Trump Meeting

Tue Nov 11 2025 04:58:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant shift in US foreign policy, Syria has agreed to join the international coalition combating the Islamic State group following a landmark meeting between President Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Syria's decision to enter the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group marks a transformative moment in US-Syrian relations. This shift comes after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met with President Trump at the White House, the first visit of its kind from a Syrian leader in history. The meeting highlights the changing dynamics in the region as the US seeks to bolster support for a new Syrian government, previously associated with terrorism.

Syria will join the international coalition to combat the Islamic State group, marking a shift in US foreign policy in the Middle East, a senior Trump administration official confirmed to CBS, the BBC's US media partner.

The announcement came as President Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House - the first such visit from a Syrian leader in the country's history.

Diplomatic relations between Syria and the US have been suspended since 2012, although Trump has moved to restore them after the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has expressed his support for al-Sharaa, who until recently was designated a terrorist by the US government.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office several hours after the meeting, Trump said that we want to see Syria become a country that's very successful.

Trump further stated, And I think this leader can do it, and mentioned that more announcements are forthcoming without providing further details.

This is the third meeting between the two leaders, following one in May and another during the UN General Assembly in September. Al-Sharaa's visit to the White House marks a remarkable re-branding for the former jihadist.

Not long ago, he led a branch of Al-Qaeda before breaking off ties and was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed Islamist group previously considered a terrorist organization by the US.

The Treasury Department just last week removed al-Sharaa from its specially designated global terrorist list.

Since becoming the interim Syrian president, al-Sharaa has worked to soften his public image and intends to rebuild Syria after 13 years of conflict.

Trump described al-Sharaa as a young, attractive guy and a fighter with a strong past, suggesting that his history should not overshadow his potential for governance.

Despite al-Sharaa's promise to root out human rights violations within his regime, his tenure has faced challenges, including killings targeting Syria's Alawite community.

In June, President Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions against Syria to support the nation's stability and peace, emphasizing that the US would monitor Syria’s actions towards normalizing ties with Israel and addressing foreign militants.