Donald Trump was caught making an eyebrow-raising joke about the Syrian president’s marital status at the White House this week.
Monday’s meeting was a historic moment, as Ahmed al-Sharaa became the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the country’s independence in 1946.
But the US President immediately lowered the tone by giving Sharaa a spritz of $249-a-bottle Trump Cologne before jokingly asking him how many wives he has.
In an exchange captured on video, Trump said: ‘This is men’s fragrance,’ as he sprayed some of the scent on Sharaa’s beard while the Syrian leader smiled nervously.
‘It’s the best fragrance,’ the 79-year-old said, adding that a second bottle of the perfume was for Sharaa’s wife.
‘How many wives? One?’ Trump asked, as Sharaa replied in the affirmative and laughed. ‘With you guys, I never know!’ Trump said as he affectionately slapped his Syrian counterpart on the arm.
The Middle East leader appeared to ask Trump the same question back, and he replied: ‘Uh, right now one.’
Sharaa, 43, is a former al-Qaeda commander who until recently was sanctioned by Washington DC as a ‘specially designated global terrorist.’
Donald Trump has been shown on camera making a joke about Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s marital status in an eyebrow-raising video. Their meeting on Monday was a historic moment. Al-Sharaa became the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since 1946
The President immediately lowered the tone in the historic Oval Office meeting by giving Sharaa a spritz of Trump Cologne before jokingly asking him how many wives he has
The Saudi-born leader joined the terror group in Iraq just before the US invasion in 2003. He was captured by American forces and imprisoned for five years until 2011.
An opponent of longtime Syrian president Assad, Sharaa launched an 11-day attack against his regime in November 2024, triggering the collapse of the government.
Assad fled to Russia, while Sharaa assumed power and was appointed officially on January 29.
Sharaa has since traveled the world trying to depict himself as a moderate leader who wants to unify his war-ravaged nation and end its decades-long international isolation. He has described his wife, Latifa al-Droubi, 41, as a key support for him over the last decade.
He previously met with Trump in Saudi Arabia in May, where the US President announced that he would lift decades of sanctions.
In an unusually muted welcome on Monday, Sharaa, who once had a $10 million US bounty on his head and a wanted poster circulated by the State Department for his arrest, arrived at the White House without the fanfare usually given to foreign dignitaries.
He entered through a side door where reporters only got a glimpse instead of through the West Wing main door where cameras often capture Trump greeting VIPs.
Speaking with reporters, Trump praised Sharaa as a ‘strong leader’ and voiced confidence in him. ‘We’ll do everything we can to make Syria successful,’ he said.
But Trump also gave a nod to Sharaa’s controversial history. ‘We’ve all had rough pasts,’ he said.
Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander, was previously sanctioned by Washington, DC as a ‘specially designated global terrorist’. This wanted poster was circulated in 2017
The 43-year-old has described his wife, Latifa al-Droubi, 41, pictured together, as a key support for him over the last decade
His White House visit is expected to mark Syria joining the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group.
Sharaa is also pushing for a full repeal of the Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping sanctions over human rights abuses by Assad’s government and security forces.
The Caesar sanctions are currently waived by presidential order, but a permanent repeal will require a congressional vote.
Syria’s Ministry of Information said in a statement Sunday that Sharaa will ’emphasize the importance of lifting economic sanctions, particularly the Caesar Act, to allow for the country’s economic recovery and investment growth’.
They added that he will also ‘reaffirm [Syria’s] commitment to continuing the fight against terrorism and promoting regional security.’
Trump has said he lifted the first sanctions in May to give Syria ‘a fighting shot’, adding that he thought the new leader was ‘doing a very good job so far’.
‘It’s a tough neighborhood and he’s a tough guy, but I got along with him very well, and a lot of progress has been made with Syria,’ he said.
