US President Donald Trump said Friday that he did not consult with Israel about Washington’s decision to recognize the new Syrian government, despite Jerusalem’s deep suspicion of the new Ahmed al-Sharaa administration in Syria.
“I didn’t ask them about that. I thought it was the right thing to do. I’ve been given a lot of credit for doing it. We want Syria to succeed,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, shortly after departing Abu Dhabi at the close of a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump then characterized previous sanctions as “brutal,” which gave Syria “zero chance of success,” and said his new approach gives the country “a chance.”
He then praised al-Sharaa as a “young, attractive and tough guy.”
On Tuesday, the US announced he would remove sanctions on Syria. His comments came one day ahead of his historic meeting with al-Sharaa in Riyadh.
Al-Shaibani-Rubio
Separately, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said that his talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Türkiye on Thursday fulfill the aspirations and future ambitions of the Syrian people.
He noted that the US side emphasized that Syria is an effective state, and its security is vital to the security and stability of the world.
In a statement to the Syrian News Channel, the Foreign Minister said, “Since December 8, 2024, we have begun normalizing relations with all Arab and foreign countries, as well as with the US,” according to the state-run news agency, SANA.
The Minister said Syria today has promising future prospects, and that a government with these qualities can place Syria at an equal distance from everyone.
Al-Shaibani indicated that Syria’s future will be bright and competitive in the region after the removal of US sanctions, adding that there are Syrians abroad who have succeeded and excelled in many fields, and we will give these cadres the opportunity to innovate and produce.
On Thursday, the Syrian foreign minister met with his US counterpart in the resort of Antalya in southern Türkiye in the presence of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The Syrian foreign ministry in a statement said al-Shaibani spoke to Rubio about “the details of lifting US sanctions on Syria, improving relations between Damascus and Washington, and discussing ways to build a strategic partnership.”
Journalist Austin Tice
In a separate development, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that American journalist Austin Tice, captured in Syria more than 12 years ago, has not been seen in years.
Trump was asked if he brought up Tice when he met with al-Sharaa during a visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
“I always talk about Austin Tice. Now you know Austin Tice hasn't been seen in many, many years,” Trump replied. “He's got a great mother who's just working so hard to find her boy. So I understand it, but Austin has not been seen in many, many years.”
Tice, a former US Marine and a freelance journalist, was 31 when he was abducted in August 2012 while reporting in Damascus on the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by Syrian opposition fighters who seized the capital Damascus in December. Syria had denied he was being held.
US officials pressed for Tice's release after the government fell. Former President Joe Biden said at the time he believed Tice was alive.
