Trump Lifts Sanctions on Syria, Praises Ex-Jihadist Leader, and Eyes $400M Jet Gift from Qatar
On May 14, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and urged him to normalize relations with Israel. The meeting followed Trump’s surprise announcement lifting all U.S. sanctions on Syria—despite Sharaa’s ties to a former al-Qaeda-affiliated group. Trump claimed Syria expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accords. He later traveled to Qatar, where he brokered a Boeing jet deal and sidestepped questions about Qatar’s controversial offer to donate a $400 million luxury aircraft to replace Air Force One. Critics in Washington raised concerns over ethics and national security, especially given Trump’s ongoing real estate ventures in the region. Photos showed him alongside Sharaa and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Only Trump could call a suspected ex-jihadist “attractive” while accepting a golden jet like he’s picking out a yacht on The Price Is Right: Dictator Edition.