During a meeting at the White House on Monday, Nov. 10, President Donald Trump made an unexpected joke while greeting Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
As Trump, 79, handed al-Sharaa, 43, a perfume bottle as a gift, he sprayed the fragrance directly on the visiting leader and declared it “the best fragrance.”
He then added: “And the other one is for your wife,” before quickly asking, “How many wives?”
Al-Sharaa responded, “One.”
“With you guys, I never know,” Trump replied.
This event marked their third encounter — but their first official gathering in Washington, D.C. Their previous discussions took place in May at a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and again in September during a United Nations General Assembly dinner, according to Reuters.
The meeting comes as al-Sharaa continues to reshape his global image after removing former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. Just recently, he was considered a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his capture — a designation reversed last week, as reported by Al Jazeera.
It was also the first formal meeting between leaders of Syria and the United States since Syria gained independence in 1946, reported the Associated Press.
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The timing coincided with a U.S. Treasury decision to pause the Caesar Act sanctions for 180 days — restrictions originally created to penalize al-Assad’s government. A full removal of sanctions, however, still requires Congressional approval, Reuters noted.
Nearly a year after overthrowing al-Assad, al-Sharaa has emphasized a commitment to unifying and rebuilding Syria while distancing himself from his past involvement with jihadist groups, according to NBC News.
Addressing his counterpart’s history, Trump said: “We’ve all had rough pasts, but he has had a rough past. And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance,” Reuters reported.
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NBC News also stated that al-Sharaa has agreed for Syria to join a U.S.-led coalition targeting the Islamic State militant group across the Middle East — a move that paved the way for Syria to reopen its embassy in Washington.
A senior administration official told NBC News:
“The United States will allow Syria to resume operations at its Embassy in Washington to further counterterrorism, security, and economic coordination.”
