by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
WASHINGTON D.C. (Worthy News) – President Donald Trump secured a significant diplomatic breakthrough Monday as Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed an agreement bringing Syria into the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, making the war-torn nation the 90th member of the U.S.-led counterterrorism alliance.
The historic White House meeting — the first visit by a Syrian president since the country gained independence in 1946 — represents a stunning validation of Trump’s “America First” approach to Middle East diplomacy and a complete repudiation of decades of failed establishment foreign policy.
“We want to see Syria become a country that’s very successful and I think this leader can do it. I really do,” Trump told reporters following the Monday meeting. “We have to make Syria work. Syria is a big part of the Middle East and I will tell you, I think this is working really well.”
Peace Through Strength
The agreement demonstrates Trump’s willingness to pursue bold diplomatic solutions that career bureaucrats deemed impossible. Al-Sharaa, whose rebel forces liberated Syria from the brutal Assad dictatorship last December, has committed his government to partnering with the United States to eliminate ISIS remnants and prevent foreign terrorist fighters from destabilizing the region.
In exchange, the Trump administration will allow Syria to reopen its Washington embassy “to further counterterrorism, security, and economic coordination,” according to senior White House officials.
“Trump went all in with Sharaa,” said Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who served on the National Security Council during Trump’s first term. “They see it as an opportunity to reorient Syria away from U.S. adversaries like Iran and toward Washington, the Arab Gulf and Turkey. This is big stuff.”
Cleaning Up Obama’s Mess
The Trump administration has moved decisively to correct the disastrous Syria policy inherited from the Obama and Biden years, when ISIS flourished under the Assad regime’s brutal misrule. At its peak, the terrorist caliphate controlled vast swaths of territory spanning the Syria-Iraq border — a direct result of the weakness and indecision that characterized Obama-era foreign policy.
Trump has now extended sanctions relief for another 180 days and is working with Congress to fully repeal the Caesar Act, sanctions legislation that has prevented Syria’s reconstruction and kept the country vulnerable to extremist influence.
“The goal is for Syria to no longer be seen as a security threat but as a geopolitical ally and a country where the U.S. can invest significantly, especially in gas extraction,” al-Sharaa told Fox News in an interview that aired Monday.
Pragmatism Over Politics
Critics have questioned Trump’s decision to engage with al-Sharaa, pointing to his past leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which had historical ties to al-Qaeda. But the president has demonstrated the kind of pragmatic leadership that puts American interests first.
“People said he’s had a rough past. We all have rough pasts, but he has a rough past,” Trump acknowledged. “And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”
Al-Sharaa broke with al-Qaeda in 2016 and his forces actively fought ISIS during Syria’s civil war. Trump’s Syria envoy Tom Barrack has emphasized there is “no plan B” — if al-Sharaa’s government fails, Syria could collapse into another civil war that would create new opportunities for terrorist groups.
Bipartisan Support Building
Trump’s Syria strategy is gaining traction on Capitol Hill, with both Republicans and Democrats recognizing the wisdom of supporting Syria’s transition. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, held direct talks with al-Sharaa Sunday evening.
“Last evening, the new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and I broke bread,” Mast said in a statement. “We had a long and serious conversation about how to build a future for the people of Syria free of war, ISIS, and extremism.”
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) praised al-Sharaa’s willingness to engage constructively. “It was really impressive to me to see President al-Sharaa not be offended by a direct question, but actually taking it up and explaining what he wanted to do to reach out to work with the West,” Wilson said.
Strategic Victory
Monday’s agreement represents more than just a counterterrorism pact — it’s a strategic realignment that weakens Iranian and Russian influence in the region while opening new opportunities for American investment in Syria’s energy sector and reconstruction.
The Trump administration has already facilitated meetings between al-Sharaa and senior U.S. military commanders, including Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command. The president’s special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, has traveled to Damascus twice in recent weeks to solidify the partnership.
James Jeffrey, Trump’s Syria envoy during his first term, called Syria “the most important issue for the U.S. to get right in the Middle East” and praised the administration’s engagement strategy.
As America watches President Trump deliver another foreign policy achievement that the establishment claimed was impossible, one thing is clear: decisive leadership and strategic vision are reshaping the Middle East and promoting regional stability.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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