Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Trump said to praise Syria’s al-Sharaa: ‘Young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past’

By ToI Staff and Agencies 14 May 2025, 2:49 pm 5 Edit
A cropped handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows US President Donald Trump (R) shaking hands with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. (Bandar AL-JALOUD / Saudi Royal Palace / AFP)
A cropped handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows US President Donald Trump (R) shaking hands with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. (Bandar AL-JALOUD / Saudi Royal Palace / AFP)

US President Donald Trump praises Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy,” the New York Times reports.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump says the new Syrian leader is “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”

“He’s got a real shot at holding it together,” Trump says. “I spoke with President Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. He feels he’s got a shot of doing a good job. It’s a torn-up country.”

Trump’s comments came after he met with al-Sharaa, a face-to-face engagement with the onetime insurgent leader who spent years imprisoned by US forces after being captured in Iraq. Trump has also pledged to lift years-long sanctions on Syria.

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