(MENAFN) The United States intends to take every possible measure to assist Syria in rebuilding itself after decades of Assad family rule, President Donald Trump announced Monday following a closed-door meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Speaking to reporters after their nearly two-hour discussion, Trump said his administration will "do everything we can to make Syria successful," describing Sharaa as "a very strong leader."

"He comes from a very tough place, and he's a tough guy. I liked him. I get along with him, the president, the new president in Syria," Trump told journalists from the Oval Office.

While hinting that further announcements on Syria could be expected soon, Trump refrained from revealing specific plans, stating only that "we want to see Syria become a country that's very successful, and I think this leader can do it."

"He has had a rough past. And I think, frankly, if you didn't have a rough past, you wouldn't have a chance. He gets along very well with Turkey, with President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, who's a great leader. Erdogan is a great leader. And very much in favor of what's happening in Syria. We have to make Syria work," the U.S. president added.

"Syria is a big part of the Middle East, and I will tell you, I think it is working. And really well. We're working also with Israel, on, you know, getting along with Syria, getting along with everybody. And that's working amazingly," he continued.

According to reports, Sharaa’s trip marked the first official visit by a Syrian head of state to Washington since the country’s independence nearly eight decades ago.

Discussions were believed to center around lifting long-standing American sanctions that severely damaged Syria’s economy during the Assad era, incorporating Damascus into the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition, and exploring avenues toward normalization with Israel — a goal Trump has openly supported.

No immediate statement was released by the White House following the meeting.

As stated by reports, Trump’s administration has already moved to ease both diplomatic and economic restrictions on Damascus, signaling a significant policy shift as Syria attempts to recover from over 13 years of devastating civil conflict.

The U.S. president first initiated the process of removing sanctions after an earlier meeting with Sharaa in Saudi Arabia last May. Following that encounter, Trump described the Syrian leader as a "young, attractive guy, tough guy, strong past," marking a notable departure from the long-standing hostility that had characterized relations between Washington and the Assad government.

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