Real clear world: A former terrorist inside the white house
Hazem Salem Dmour
Nov 18, 2025
This article examines the unprecedented decision to welcome a former jihadist—long designated as a terrorist by the United States—into the White House. It traces his trajectory from al-Qaeda operative to interim president of Syria, raising urgent questions about a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy. The piece challenges readers to consider the consequences of legitimizing a figure whose past is inseparable from decades of extremist violence.