On Monday, President Trump met with the President of Syria, a former terrorist. This came after faith leaders last week asked the President to address Syria’s persecution of religious minorities.

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From Reuters:

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to do everything he can to make Syria successful after landmark talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who until recently was sanctioned by Washington as a foreign terrorist.

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One of Sharaa’s chief aims in Washington was to push for full removal of the toughest U.S. sanctions. While he met with Trump behind closed doors, the U.S. Treasury Department announced a 180-day extension of its suspension of enforcement of the so-called Caesar sanctions, but only the U.S. Congress can lift them entirely.

Trump met with Sharaa in the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to Washington, six months after their first meeting in Saudi Arabia, where the U.S. leader announced plans to lift sanctions, and just days after the U.S. said he was no longer a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”

Sharaa has had a rough past. Reuters notes he was formally a terrorist in the eyes of the U.S. Before taking power following a military coup last year, Sharaa reportedly had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head.

Since taking power, however, Reuters notes Sharaa has moved away from Russia and Iran, formerly close allies of Syria, and toward Washington. The Middle Eastern President has also taken a strong stance on Islamic terror, joining the U.S.-led “Global Coalition to Defeat Islamic State” during his meeting with President Trump.

However, Sharaa still hides many skeletons in his closet. Ahead of yesterday’s meeting, dozens of faith leaders, including IFA President/CEO Dave Kubal, sent President Trump a letter urging him to discuss the persecution of religious minorities in Syria under Sharaa’s rule. It is unclear if this topic was broached during the meeting.

Syria has both a problematic past and present, but its President seems to be working to make amends with America. Let’s pray that God would guide this relationship and give our President wisdom and boldness!

How are you praying about Syria? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

(Excerpt from Reuters. Photo Credit: Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=176747253)