By Maryam Ahmad
In a development few could have imagined a year ago, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. The visit marks the first time a Syrian head of state will be officially received in Washington — a remarkable turn for a man who, until recently, was wanted by the United States.
As recently as December, al-Sharaa carried a $10 million American bounty on his head for his alleged role as an al-Qaeda commander. Now, following a stunning political transformation and rise to power in Damascus, he is being welcomed as a foreign leader and potential partner in the Middle East.
In anticipation of the visit, the U.S. Treasury Department has lifted sanctions against al-Sharaa and his intelligence chief, signalling a major policy shift. Meanwhile, Congress is debating the repeal of the Caesar Act, the 2019 legislation that imposed sweeping sanctions on Syria’s construction, energy, and financial sectors. The Senate has already voted to rescind the law, though the House of Representatives has yet to follow suit.
Inside Syria, reactions are mixed. While some citizens express frustration over al-Sharaa’s secretive governance and reliance on a close inner circle, others see his global rehabilitation as a point of national pride.
For many observers, al-Sharaa’s journey embodies one of the most dramatic reversals in modern diplomacy. Once a U.S. prisoner in Iraq, he will now step into the Oval Office — a symbol of how swiftly global politics can change.