U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday afternoon, the second stop on his Middle East tour. As in Saudi Arabia, Trump received a lavish welcome: his presidential jet, Air Force One, was escorted by F-15 fighter jets from the Qatari Air Force, and upon landing he was greeted by American and Qatari flags and billboards reading “Welcome to Qatar, President Donald Trump.”
Upon arrival, Trump made another dramatic statement, following his historic meeting earlier in the day with Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Trump declared that the Syrian president intends to recognize Israel once his country has stabilized. The Associated Press, which reported Trump’s remarks, noted there has been no confirmation from Syrian officials.
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Rolling out the red carpet for President Donald Trump
(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa—which included a historic handshake—was the first between U.S. and Syrian presidents in 25 years. It came just hours after Trump announced the lifting of longstanding U.S. sanctions on Damascus to allow the country to "turn a new page." The White House said Trump used the meeting to urge al-Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords with Israel and to expel Palestinian terror groups from Syria.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Qatar, Trump described the meeting as “great” and called the Syrian leader a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.” Trump added that he believes al-Sharaa “has got a real shot at holding it together. I think he has the potential—he’s a real leader. He pulled something off, and it’s pretty amazing.”
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President Donald Trump meets Syria’s new president Ahmad al-Sharaa
(Photo: SAUDI ROYAL PALACE / BANDAR AL-JALOUD/AFP)
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US President Donald Trump's meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
An Israeli official responded to Trump’s remarks and the meeting with the Syrian leader. “We’re not shocked by Trump’s declarations on Syria; we knew this was coming. The Syrians have lowered their profile and calmed down recently. This is purely an American decision. Trump does what’s good for Trump. He wants to expand the Abraham Accords and believes bringing Syria closer is the way to do it. We still think they’re jihadists in suits, but they’re undergoing an aggressive normalization process. Al-Golani has learned how to match his tie to his suit,” the official said.
Trump’s decision to meet with al-Sharaa and lift sanctions has sparked concern in both Washington and Jerusalem. Al-Sharaa, once a senior member of al-Qaida, previously led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) in Syria. He still faces an outstanding arrest warrant for terrorist activities during his time in al-Qaida in Iraq and, until recently, the U.S. offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture. Israeli officials warn that al-Sharaa is deceiving the international community and seeks to establish an Islamist regime in Syria under the guise of a suit-wearing diplomat.
Trump arrived in Doha as momentum grows for renewed efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza, and amid increasing speculation that Washington is working behind the scenes to push for an end to the war.
Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister announced at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit attended by Trump that the participating countries had agreed on the urgent need to stop the war and release all hostages. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who joined the meeting remotely, said he “trusts Trump’s support in our efforts to end the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.”
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CNN reported that Israeli officials had considered the possibility that Trump might make an unplanned visit to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv during his regional tour, though a visit was not officially scheduled. A source told CNN that, unless there is a ceasefire or another concrete “result” Trump can showcase, he will not come to Israel. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said Israel was not being sidelined in his trip, and that stronger relations between the U.S. and the Gulf states would ultimately benefit Israel.
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Trump could travel to Turkey to attend summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
(Photos: AP, Reuters, Olivier MartAtthysS / POOL / AFP, Alex Brandon/ AP)
During his flight from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Trump again floated the possibility of changing course and traveling to Turkey to attend a potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—if such a meeting takes place.
Putin suggested the idea earlier this week, and Zelensky has since agreed, saying he would wait for the Russian president in Istanbul on Thursday. However, Putin has yet to confirm his attendance. Russia has said it will send a delegation to the Istanbul talks but will only announce its composition later this evening. Zelensky has stressed that if Putin backs out it will prove he has no real intention of ending the war. If Putin does attend, Trump indicated he may change his plans and fly to Turkey.