Trump Meets Syrian Interim President, Signals Middle East Policy Shift

President Donald Trump’s recent Middle East visit marked a significant shift in U.S. policy, highlighted by his handshake with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander with ties to al-Qaeda affiliate Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. This event, held in Riyadh, came alongside the lifting of long-standing U.S. sanctions on Syria, signaling a dramatic reversal from previous American stances and prompted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s influence. Trump praised al-Sharaa as a "tough guy" with a "strong past," despite his controversial background, framing sanctions removal as an opportunity for Syria's "chance at greatness." The trip also saw the announcement of a historic $140 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and the endorsement of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, illustrating Trump's transactional diplomacy and strategic realignment in the region. Notably, Israel was absent from the visit, underscoring a new Middle East order that is less American-centric and potentially more Islamist in nature. These moves collectively reflect Trump’s departure from the previous U.S. approach focused on intervention and nation-building, acknowledging the failure of past efforts while initiating a new, though uncertain, chapter in Middle Eastern geopolitics.