President Donald Trump was offered a range of incentives including the possible building of a Trump Tower, ahead of his meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the Syrian capital of Damascus.
According to the Independent, sources familiar with the effort said the pitch was a strategic one, which included possibly allowing the U.S. and Israel access to Syria’s oil and gas reserves.
Jonathan Bass, a vocal supporter of Trump, held a four-hour meeting with Sharaa in Damascus on April 30. The discussion included Syrian activists and representatives from Gulf Arab nations.
That effort was part of a larger initiative aimed at facilitating a meeting between the two leaders, which successfully took place on Wednesday.
For the first time in 25 years, the leaders of the United States and Syria convened, following an unexpected declaration from Trump that the U.S. would remove all sanctions on Syria.
Syria has struggled to fulfill Washington’s conditions for sanctions relief, remaining largely cut off from the global financial system. This isolation has significantly hampered the nation’s economic recovery following 14 years of war.
Trump told reporters he wants to give Syria a “fresh start” when asked about the sanctions being lifted.
Advocates for greater U.S. involvement with Syria saw an opportunity in bringing Trump together with Sharaa, who is still classified as a U.S.-designated terrorist due to his past ties to al-Qaeda. They hoped the meeting might encourage a shift in the Republican administration’s stance on Damascus and ease growing tensions between Syria and Israel.
“Sharaa wants a business deal for the future of his country,” Bass said “He told me he wants a Trump Tower in Damascus. He wants peace with his neighbors. What he told me is good for the region, good for Israel.”
Sharaa expressed what he viewed as a personal connection with Trump, noting that both had survived assassination attempts, according to Bass.
One of Syria’s primary goals in reaching out to Washington was to convey that it does not pose a threat to Israel, which has intensified airstrikes in Syria following the overthrow of former leader Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces last year.
“Sharaa sent the Israelis an olive branch. Israel sent missiles,” Bass said. “We need Trump to help sort this relationship out.”
