Trump hosts Syrian leader in high-profile visit as shutdown winds down

As a deal to end a record government shutdown takes shape, President Donald Trump He turns to foreign policy at the beginning of the week.

On Monday, Trump will host Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara at the White House, the Syrian leader’s first official visit to Washington. Officials describe the meeting as a landmark attempt to return Damascus to the diplomatic arena after years of being in the international arena.

THE WHITE HOUSE IS PREPARING TO WELCOME SYRIAN PRESIDENT SHARAA AFTER THE SANCTIONS

It will be the third meeting between Trump and Al Shara this year as Syria’s new leadership seeks to rebuild a shattered country and restore ties with Arab states and the West following the end of Bashar al-Assad’s 14-year civil war.

In a move that could pave the way for talks, Washington eased key restrictions on Syria’s leadership ahead of the meeting.

On Friday, the United States lifted sanctions against Al Shara ahead of his meeting with Trump, similar to a move by the United Nations Security Council a day earlier. Specially Designated Global Terrorist designations have been removed from both Sharaa and Syrian interior minister Anas Hattab, according to a notice on the U.S. Treasury Department website.

Senate DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AGREE TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT

The US federal government shut down on October 1, 2025. (Hu Yousong/Xinhua via Getty Images)

The White House meeting also took place against the backdrop of a crushing government shutdown that has paralyzed federal agencies and left Washington in a political stalemate over funding.

Senate Republicans and Democrats reached a deal Sunday evening to end the deadlock, but the government will not officially reopen until the House, which has been out of session for nearly six weeks, approves the deal. The measure will then go to President Trump for signature.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

Senate Republicans hope the newly announced spending bill could be the key to reopening the government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) plans to put the bill and Democrats’ resolve to the test. (Pete Kiehart/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Sunday evening, Trump said an agreement to end the government shutdown was within reach.

“It looks like we are very close to the end of the lockdown,” he said.

The shutdown, which began on October 1, was the longest shutdown in US history. 21st of this month government shutdown It was the longest period since 1976 and a halt in operations that lasted from December 2018 to January 2019 following a 34-day standoff over funding for Trump’s border wall.