The White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was “a historic turning point,” Republican Rep. Joe Wilson said, which marked the first time a Syrian head of state has ever visited Washington in the nation’s 80-year history.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post following the bilateral talks, the South Carolina congressman described the event as “a miracle of diplomacy” that signaled the end of decades of estrangement between Washington and Damascus.
“We should be so grateful,” Wilson said. “For the first time, we have a chance to work with a Syrian government that seeks peace, stability, and partnership with the United States.”
Wilson, who met Sharaa in Damascus and again in Washington with other lawmakers this week, said he was struck by the new Syrian leader’s tone and message.
“A year ago, I was declared an enemy of the Assad dictatorship,” he noted. “Now, I sit with a freely chosen president who speaks of inclusion and reconciliation.”
According to the congressman, Sharaa’s transitional government has pledged to incorporate all sectarian groups – “Druze, Alawites, Kurds, Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike” – into a pluralistic system.
“He has already appointed a Christian minister and welcomed the return of Syria’s chief rabbi after 31 years in exile,” Wilson said. “That’s a powerful symbol of renewal.”
Wilson also called on Congress to repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, which imposed sanctions on the Assad regime, arguing that lifting those restrictions would allow Syrian-American entrepreneurs “to rebuild a vibrant and sovereign country.”
Congressman sees 'quiet talks' leading to Syria-Israel peace
Asked whether the new Syrian president had discussed a peace framework with Israel, Wilson expressed optimism that an eventual security pact was within reach.
“There have already been quiet talks between Damascus and Jerusalem,” he said.
“I believe we will see an Abraham Accords-style agreement emerge. It would be mutually advantageous, especially for the Druze communities in both nations.”
Wilson said that “working closely with America naturally means working with Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East.”
He said both nations share a common goal of countering Iranian influence, noting that “the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has been removed from Syrian territory.”
Responding to skeptics also within his own party, Wilson urged colleagues to give Sharaa “the benefit of believing in transformation.”
“People can change,” he said. “Donald Trump himself was once a Democrat. Now he is the champion of limited government and strong defense. Likewise, President al-Sharaa has shown the courage to change, and that’s the foundation for peace.”
Wilson called the visit “a day of hope for Syrians, for Americans, and for all the peoples of the region.”