Trump, Syrian President al-Sharaa, and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman pictured during their meeting (Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS )
TRUMP SAYS HE'LL DROP SANCTIONS ON SYRIA IN MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS
"In Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that we must all hope will succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace," he said. "So I say good luck, Syria."
Al-Sharaa and his group known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led Bashar al-Assad’s ouster last year. His group was founded as an al-Qaeda offshoot, before separating from the terrorist group in 2016.
The breakthrough announcement came as Trump is traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, whose government leaders were widely expected to press Trump to release the sanctions to help Syria's economy.
"There is a new government that will hopefully succeed," Trump said of Syria. "I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special."
Syrians took to the streets to celebrate after Trump announced he would lift sanctions (REUTERS/Yamam Al Shaar)
TRUMP'S MIDDLE EAST TOUR BEGINS WITH SYRIA LOOMING AS STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY
Trump said both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Erdoğan had encouraged him to lift the sanctions.
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"Oh, what I do for the crown prince," Trump quipped.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who said he was inclined to support sanctions relief, warned Israel is still "extremely concerned about the state of play in Syria."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-asks-syria-join-abraham-accords-normalize-ties-israel-return-sanctions-relief