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Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned U.S. officials against assassinating Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump, according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Shaheen revealed the warning during a Senate hearing, highlighting internal debates in the Trump administration over how to deal with Sharaa, a former militant who recently took power in Syria.
King Abdullah cautioned that assassinating Sharaa could trigger a full-scale civil war, undermining efforts to stabilize the country.
The remarks come shortly after Trump shocked allies by lifting longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria and meeting Sharaa in Riyadh, praising him as a “tough fighter.”
Joel Rayburn, Trump’s nominee for under secretary of state for the Near East, denied knowledge of any assassination plans, saying such actions would contradict the president’s recent statements.
Sharaa, once linked to al-Qaeda and a former commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has a controversial past but now seeks to build alliances with Türkiye and Gulf states. The Trump administration credits Turkish President Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for pushing sanctions relief.
Meanwhile, indirect talks hosted by the UAE aim to reduce tensions between Syria and Israel, which continue military operations in southern Syria.
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