In a dramatic turn of events that few could have predicted even a year ago, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, once a figure synonymous with Syria’s Islamist insurgency, has been welcomed into the halls of global power. On November 25, 2025, Al-Sharaa, now Syria’s interim president, was received at the White House by U.S. President Donald Trump—a meeting that, according to Turkish political commentator Dr. Barış Adıbelli, marks a watershed moment for the Middle East’s political landscape.
Al-Sharaa’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Known in his earlier days as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, he led a lightning offensive that ousted Bashar al-Assad after nearly 14 years of brutal civil war. On December 8, 2024, he entered Damascus, trimmed his beard, traded fatigues for tailored suits, and settled into the presidential palace that had been the seat of Assad’s family dynasty for decades, as reported by AFP. He was swiftly appointed interim president for a five-year transitional period, forming a government that, while not controlling all of Syria, established itself as the country’s dominant authority. The international community, including Gulf states, key ally Turkey, and France, largely welcomed his leadership, with Al-Sharaa even addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.
Yet, the White House visit was the ultimate seal of legitimacy. Dr. Adıbelli, speaking to Caspianpost.com, described the meeting as “proof of [Al-Sharaa’s] political maturity as a leader and confirmation of his international legitimacy.” For a man who had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head not so long ago, this was a stunning reversal. “All questions about the legality of his status have now been resolved,” Adıbelli noted. “By receiving him at the White House, the U.S. has effectively carried out a quiet, indirect recognition of the new Syrian authority.”
Washington’s actions didn’t stop at hosting Al-Sharaa. The U.S. also suspended sanctions on Syria, lifting restrictions imposed by the Caesar Act. This move, however, has not gone unchallenged in Congress, where some lawmakers argue that only Congress has the authority to repeal or suspend such laws. Nonetheless, the presidential gesture sent a clear signal: the U.S. is ready to reset its relationship with Syria under Al-Sharaa’s leadership.
For Turkey, the developments have been a relief. Ankara, which had long faced uncertainty due to shifting U.S. policies on Syria, welcomed the White House meeting and Al-Sharaa’s legitimization. As Adıbelli explained, “There was concern in Türkiye about whether the world would recognize Al-Sharaa as the legitimate leader of the new Syria, considering his past. A man whose head carried a bounty just yesterday is now being received in the White House; this shows how far the process has advanced.”
However, the region’s shifting alliances come with new complexities. Al-Sharaa, once seen as “Turkey’s man,” is now being recast on the international stage as “America’s man.” The U.S. envisions him as a key partner in the fight against ISIS and a central figure in the new Middle Eastern order. “The Americans are already speaking of a new era in the Middle East,” Adıbelli observed, “with Al-Sharaa as Washington’s key partner in the region.”
Yet, beneath the surface, longstanding tensions remain unresolved. Chief among them is the status of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its backbone, the YPG, which Turkey regards as an extension of the PKK—a group it designates as a terrorist organization. The SDF, with tens of thousands of armed militants near Turkey’s border, continues to receive U.S. funding and military support, even appearing in the 2026 federal budget. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack publicly acknowledged the SDF’s ties to the PKK, stating, “The SDF is our ally,” a stance that makes the group “an untouchable force,” according to Adıbelli. For Turkey, this is a direct threat to national security.
The SDF’s future is a sticking point in Syria’s political settlement. Despite calls for integration into the Syrian army, the SDF insists on maintaining its identity and control over its territories. This resistance has fueled speculation about the emergence of a second Kurdish autonomy in Syria, following the precedent set in Iraq. For Turkey, such a development is “absolutely unacceptable,” raising the specter of further regional fragmentation.
Adding to the uncertainty is the U.S. approach to Syria’s constitutional future. While President Trump has expressed support for Al-Sharaa, Washington has yet to clarify whether it favors a unitary or federal Syria. “The U.S. would prefer a non-unitary, federal Syria,” Adıbelli explained, “where every nation and minority preserves its identity and cultural rights.” This ambiguity—what Adıbelli calls “strategic ambiguity”—mirrors U.S. policy in other global hotspots, such as Taiwan, and leaves the door open for future shifts in American strategy.
The implications of these choices extend well beyond Syria’s borders. Since 2006, both the U.S. and Israel have pursued policies aimed at fragmenting and shrinking Middle Eastern states, making them more manageable and less threatening to Israel’s security. “A fragmented, reduced Syria is far more preferable to them than a strong, unitary state,” Adıbelli argued. This approach, he suggests, is part of a broader effort by Israel and the U.S. to reshape the region’s balance of power.
One of the most consequential questions now facing Syria is whether it will sign a new security agreement with Israel. Reports suggest that 99 percent of the agreement’s text has already been settled, though disputes over territories like the Golan Heights remain unresolved. The U.S. is keen to include Syria in the Abraham Accords, extending the normalization trend that has swept through parts of the Arab world. But as Adıbelli cautioned, “Trump does nothing for free. He did not simply pat Ahmed Al-Sharaa on the shoulder.” If the agreement with Israel fails, the U.S. could quickly reimpose terrorist designations on Al-Sharaa’s government, leveraging Syria’s still-precarious international status as a bargaining chip.
For now, Western countries are holding back on fully normalizing relations with Syria, waiting for clear signals from Washington and, crucially, Israel. The region is at a crossroads, with every move watched closely by Ankara, Tehran, Tel Aviv, and beyond. As the dust settles from Al-Sharaa’s historic White House visit, the world waits to see whether this new chapter will bring stability or simply set the stage for the next round of Middle Eastern upheaval.
The stakes could hardly be higher, and the outcome is anything but certain. But one thing is clear: the Middle East’s political map has been redrawn, and the world’s eyes are fixed on what comes next.
