Overview
- Ahmed al‑Scharaa became the first Syrian head of state received in Washington since 1946, meeting President Donald Trump at the White House.
- The Treasury extended for 180 days the temporary suspension of parts of Syria sanctions under the Caesar Act, which still require congressional action for full repeal.
- Damascus announced a political cooperation agreement to join the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, with officials stressing the pact currently has no military component.
- Days before the visit, the UN Security Council and the U.S. removed al‑Scharaa from terrorist lists, clearing the way for formal engagement.
- The White House limited visibility of the meeting with no press access and a side‑entrance arrival, as al‑Scharaa later ruled out direct normalization talks with Israel for now while leaving room for U.S.-mediated security arrangements.