How Syria’s President Transformed His Image

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’s meeting with President Trump in Washington signifies a new turn for al-Shara, a former Islamist rebel leader who was once designated by the United States as a terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head. Our reporter Christina Goldbaum describes the meeting.

By Christina Goldbaum, Nikolay Nikolov and Claire Hogan

November 10, 2025