Episode 524: Sanctions to State Visit: Syria’s Trip to Washington

Today, Jess, Morgan, and Andy unpack a potentially dramatic diplomatic turn in Syria-US relations. The United Nations has lifted sanctions on President Ahmed al-Sharaa—reportedly at Washington’s urging—clearing the way for his historic visit to the White House next week. Once a commander in the al-Nusra Front, al-Sharaa now leads a Syrian government pivoting from isolation to engagement, as the Trump Administration considers establishing a U.S. military presence at an airbase in Damascus.

What does this mean for Trump’s broader Middle East vision of normalization with Israel? Can Syria’s fragile new government withstand domestic backlash as it moves closer to Washington? Is this a genuine pivot away from Iran and Russia, or just another chapter in Syria’s long game of survival?

@nottvjessjones

@morganlroach

@andykeiser

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