President Donald Trump met with the new Syrian leader, a onetime insurgent, in a stunning engagement on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, before wrapping up his visit to the kingdom and heading to Qatar, the second leg of his three-nation Middle East tour this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump was set to meet Syria's president in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following a surprise announcement that the United States would lift all sanctions on the Islamist-led government despite lingering concerns about its leaders' former ties to Al Qaeda.

During the second day of Trump's Middle East trip, he announced a major deal between Boeing and Qatar Airways and signed an agreement with Qatar; he also met with Syria's interim president.