He’s a real leader. He led a charge, and he’s pretty amazing.”The news sparked celebrations across Syria, where the economy has been ravaged by 14 years of civil war and international isolation. But al-Sharaa still faces daunting challenges to building the kind of peaceful,

President Donald Trump has met with the new Syrian leader, a onetime insurgent, before wrapping up his visit to Saudi Arabia. He was also to attend a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council — the grouping of Bahrain,

"He's got the potential - he's a real leader," Trump said on Air Force One after meeting Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.