Trump Meets Syrian President Al Sharah

During a recent visit to the Oval Office, President Trump made headlines by spraying cologne on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharah and casually asking him how many wives he has. This occurred during a private meeting at the White House, where footage revealed Trump offering al-Sharah and some of his team the fragrance, assuring them it was “the best.”

In a light-hearted exchange, Trump even offered a bottle to al-Sharah’s wife and proposed, “How many wives do you have, one? You and I will never know, right? I’ll never know.” It certainly adds a unique flavor to diplomatic discussions.

Al-Sharah, previously a commander with al-Qaeda who had been labeled a terrorist by the US and had a hefty bounty placed on him, was removed from the terrorist list shortly before this meeting. This marks the first time a Syrian leader has visited the White House since the country’s independence in 1946. This meeting follows the Trump administration’s announcement about extending al-Sharah’s term and a pause on sanctions against Syria for another 180 days.

During the meeting, al-Sharah gifted President Trump a symbolic item along with a replica of an ancient Syrian artifact. He has been advocating for the permanent lifting of sanctions related to serious human rights concerns tied to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by forces led by al-Sharah in December 2024. Assad then fled to Russia, where he remains today.