Ahmed al-Sharaa becomes first Syrian leader to visit the White House

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham who ousted Bashar al-Assad, has become the first Syrian president to visit the White House. This visit marks a stunning shift in US-Syrian relations, moving Damascus from a terror sponsor to a partner. US President Donald Trump praised Sharaa as a strong leader and pledged support to make Syria successful. The meeting follows Washington's recent decision to remove Sharaa and his group from its terrorism blacklist, reflecting a new security partnership also involving Turkey.