‘How Many Wives?’ Donald Trump Asks Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa While Gifting Him Perfume At White House

US President Donald Trump did something nobody expected: he welcomed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House on Monday. Not long ago, the idea of a Syrian leader especially one like al-Sharaa visiting the White House would’ve sounded like pure fantasy.

Al-Sharaa isn’t just any politician. He used to be an Al-Qaeda commander, and the US once called him a terrorist, even putting a $10 million bounty on his head. Now, here he was, standing next to Trump, the first Syrian president to set foot in the White House since Syria broke away from French rule back in 1946.

This meeting happened just as the US decided to extend its pause on sanctions against Syria for another 180 days.

There’s a video from the visit making the rounds online. In it, Trump hands al-Sharaa a bottle of perfume, sprays him, and jokes, “It’s the best fragrance… And the other one is for your wife.” Then he shoots him a look and asks, “How many wives?” When al-Sharaa answers, “one,” the room bursts into laughter. Trump grins and says, “You never know!”

Al-Sharaa brought his own gifts miniature replicas of ancient Syrian artifacts. He told Trump they represented “the first alphabet in history, the first stamp in history, the first musical note, and the first customs tariff.” All pretty bold claims, but hey, it’s a diplomatic gift.

Trump didn’t ignore al-Sharaa’s rocky past. “We’ve all had rough pasts, but he has had a rough past,” Trump said. “And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”

Al-Sharaa, who’s 43, only took control last year. His Islamist forces ousted Bashar al-Assad in a fast, dramatic offensive that wrapped up on December 8.

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