Washington: US President Donald Trump praised Syria’s leadership for its efforts to restore stability, describing President Ahmad al-Sharaa as having done a “good job” in a short period of time.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump told NBC News in an interview aired Sunday that “Syria is doing a very good job of cleaning up their act,” highlighting President al-Sharaa’s leadership since taking office after the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024. Trump remarked that al-Sharaa is a “very good leader” who could potentially assist in regional security efforts.

Trump also suggested the possibility of Syria playing a role in facilitating more “surgical” strikes against Hezbollah, expressing his desire for a “better life” for people in Lebanon. However, there was no immediate comment from Syria regarding Trump’s suggestion.

In support of Syria’s new administration, Washington has lifted several sanctions, including the Caesar Act, to aid their recovery efforts. Trump’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also mentioned, with Trump stating that he is getting along “very well” with Netanyahu despite recent disagreements over Lebanon. Trump had previously expressed his frustration with Netanyahu’s stance of “constantly fighting” with Lebanon.