Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene slammed President Donald Trump for welcoming Abu Mohammad al-Julani to the White House. The Republican posted her criticism of Trump just hours before he was set to meet Julani.
“The new leader of Syria is a former Al Qaeda terrorist wanted by our government who is meeting with President Trump today at the White House on the US Marine’s 250th anniversary,” MTG wrote on X Monday. “He rose to power in December 2024, sanctions were lifted off Syria in June, and many Christians and minority groups have been killed before and after sanctions were lifted.”
Her post includes a State Department wanted poster for Julani.
The new leader of Syria is a former Al Qaeda terrorist wanted by our government who is meeting with President Trump today at the White House on the U.S. Marine’s 250th anniversary.
He rose to power in Dec 2024, sanctions were lifted off Syria in June, and many Christians and… pic.twitter.com/El20YKN9VZ
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) November 10, 2025
Julani, who now goes by Ahmed al-Sharaa, fought for al-Qaeda during the Iraq War. After being held in an American torture prison in Iraq, he rose to become a deputy leader of the Islamic State. Julani eventually split with ISIS and formed al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate, the al-Nusra Front.
After the US, Russia, and Syria destroyed the Islamic State, Julani’s jihadist militia became the strongest Sunni opposition group to Bashar al-Assad’s government. With the help of the US and its allies, Assad was forced from power last year, leaving Julani to seize power.
Since taking power, Julani has dubbed himself president and filled his administration with jihadists. The new Syrian government has engaged in multiple massacres against ethnic minorities.
The jihadist control of Damascus has not prevented Washington from embracing the new Syrian government. President Trump has already met with Julani, and the US is pushing for the UN to remove sanctions on the Syrian leader. Washington has already dropped some of its sanctions on Damascus.
MTG called on Trump to focus on domestic issues. “I would really like to see nonstop meetings at the WH on domestic policy not foreign policy and foreign country’s leaders,” she wrote.
