Overview
- The closed-door White House meeting was the first by a Syrian leader since 1946, with President Donald Trump praising Ahmed al-Sharaa after their talks.
- The Treasury Department suspended enforcement of key Caesar Act sanctions for 180 days, and Trump urged broader relief that only Congress can authorize.
- Syria signed a political cooperation declaration to join the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS as its 90th member, with officials saying the pact has no military component.
- Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda–linked commander recently dropped from U.S. terror lists, held bipartisan meetings on Capitol Hill that drew cautious optimism and ongoing debate over lifting sanctions.
- Syrian and regional officials reported foiled ISIS plots to assassinate al-Sharaa in recent months, and participants said discussions included possible embassy reopenings and a prospective Israel–Syria security arrangement.