Trump lands in Qatar after meeting Syria's new leader in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump arrived Wednesday in Qatar, where he was greeted by the country’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, as he kicked off the second leg of his three-nation Middle East tour this week.

In a stunning engagement earlier in the day in Saudi Arabia, Trump met with Syria's new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa — a onetime insurgent who had spent years imprisoned by U.S. troops in Iraq. Trump said the rapprochement with Syria came at the urging of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“There is a new government that will hopefully succeed,” Trump said of Syria, adding, “I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special.”

Trump received a lavish welcome Tuesday in Riyadh, where he announced he would move to lift sanctions on Syria to give the country “a chance at peace.” He also focused on dealmaking with the kingdom, a key Mideast ally, and touched on shared concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Gaza.

Trump also urged Iran to take a “new and a better path” as he pushes for a new nuclear deal and said he wanted to avoid conflict with Tehran. Trump and Prince Mohammed, the kingdom's de facto ruler, signed a host of economic and bilateral agreements.