In a remarkable diplomatic shift, Syria is now reportedly set to formally join the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, marking a major step in President Donald Trump’s effort to reshape America’s role in the Middle East.
U.S. officials said the announcement is expected to follow Monday’s meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House — the first-ever visit by a Syrian leader to Washington. The meeting, according to administration officials, symbolizes Syria’s transformation from a destabilizing force under former dictator Bashar al-Assad into a potential partner in restoring order to the region.
Sharaa’s rebel forces ousted Assad last December, ending more than a decade of brutal rule that sparked civil war, drove millions from their homes, and invited Iranian and Russian military expansion into Syria. Now, Washington views Sharaa as an opportunity to rebuild a functioning state aligned more closely with the West and Arab allies, rather than Tehran and Moscow.
“Trump went all in with Sharaa,” said Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former National Security Council adviser. “They see it as an opportunity to reorient Syria away from U.S. adversaries like Iran and toward Washington, the Arab Gulf, and Turkey. This is big stuff.”
Sharaa has already met with Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, to discuss deeper military cooperation. Joining the anti-ISIS coalition would pave the way for joint operations, intelligence sharing, and potentially U.S. support for Syria’s stabilization. Trump’s special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, and Adm. Cooper have made multiple trips to Damascus in recent weeks to solidify ties.
A senior U.S. official said Trump and Sharaa also discussed plans to reopen embassies in Washington and Damascus — a move that would have been unthinkable just a year ago. While the missions may take months to reopen, the official described Monday’s meeting as a “turning point.”
The White House sees Sharaa’s government as the best chance for lasting stability in Syria. “There is no plan B,” Barrack reportedly told advisers, warning that another Syrian collapse could reignite civil war and give extremist groups new ground to operate.
Not all regional leaders are convinced. Israeli officials and U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern over sporadic sectarian violence in southern Syria and the continued presence of foreign fighters aligned with the government. Others question whether Sharaa has done enough to curb militancy and promote reform.
Still, the optics of the meeting were striking. Just months ago, Sharaa was considered an insurgent commander once branded a terrorist by Washington. Now, he is being received in the Oval Office — a development Trump himself reportedly welcomed. He has privately described Sharaa as “tough” and “attractive,” officials said, admiring his discipline and nationalist message.
Dareen Khalifa of the International Crisis Group called the meeting “unimaginable,” noting that it signaled “a turning of the page on a U.S. policy that just hasn’t been working for decades.”
For the Trump administration, bringing Syria into the anti-ISIS fold represents both a diplomatic gamble and a strategic opportunity — one aimed at consolidating gains against Islamist extremism while reducing the influence of adversaries like Iran and Russia in the region.
As one U.S. official put it, Syria’s participation is “a political signal” that will evolve into “broader anti-ISIS assistance on intelligence and military operations.”
For now, both sides appear ready to embrace the partnership. In the words of one senior official: “This is about peace through strength — and about bringing Syria back from the brink, this time on our side.”
[READ MORE: Guam Faces Push for Statehood as Strategic U.S. Outpost in the Pacific]
