Trump says he 'didn't ask' Israel on Syria policy

ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump said Friday he did not consult with Israel before deciding to recognize Syria's new government and lift sanctions.

"I don't know. I didn't ask them about that," Trump told reporters in response to a question about Israeli opposition to the US recognition of Syria’s new leadership.

"I thought it was the right thing to do," he said aboard Air Force One as he concluded his Gulf tour.

"I've been given a lot of credit for doing it," Trump added, defending his decision. "Look, we want Syria to succeed. It's been a mess for 10 years and much longer than that."

Trump characterized previous sanctions as "brutal," which gave Syria "zero chance of success," and said his new approach gives the country "a chance."

He said Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is "a strong person, but young and a lot of energy and wants to do a good job."

Trump's comments follow his historic meeting with al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday – the highest-level US-Syria contact since Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the Baath Party's 61-year rule.

On Tuesday, Trump announced he would remove "brutal and crippling" US sanctions on Syria after discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also engaged with Syria's new leadership, meeting Thursday with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Antalya.