But the move has been criticized by some Republicans, including Georgia’s Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
By Catholics for Catholics
In an unexpected move criticized by some Republicans, President Donald Trump met with Syria’s current President who is a former al-Qaeda commander and until recently was in the U.S. terrorism blacklist.
After meeting with President Ahmed al-Shara at the White House, Trump put aside sanctions on Syria on Monday. According to Axios, this is the latest move to throw his support behind the former rebel leader who had once been designated as a terrorist by the United States, with a $10 million bounty on his head.
But the move was criticized by Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said that Christians in Syria have been suffering ongoing persecution before and during al-Shara’s rise to the presidency, according to The Hill.
“The new leader of Syria is a former Al Qaeda terrorist wanted by our government who is meeting with President Trump today at the White House on the U.S. Marine’s 250th anniversary,” Greene wrote in her X post.
“He rose to power in Dec 2024, sanctions were lifted off Syria in June, and many Christians and minority groups have been killed before and after sanctions were lifted,” she continued. “Syria is the oldest home of Christianity outside of Israel. The apostle Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. I pray the persecution ends, not only in Syria, but all around the world.”
"He needs to join the West wholeheartedly."@mikepompeo discusses President Trump's meeting with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa — the first Syrian leader ever to visit the White House, following the fall of the Assad regime last year. pic.twitter.com/g4aqDt1hkb
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) November 10, 2025
In addition, Greene said Trump should give priority to producing a GOP plan to address rising health care costs over meeting with foreign leaders. “I would really like to see nonstop meetings at the WH on domestic policy, not foreign policy and foreign country’s leaders,” Greene said in her post.
“Start by hauling in the health insurance company’s executives and let’s start formulating our Republican plan to save America from Obamacare and ACA tax credits that have skyrocketed the cost of health insurance!” she continued.
Greene, a staunch Trump supporter, has challenged her party in recent months on several key issues, including health care.
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