In a landmark visit today, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper, joined by his wife Susan and President Trump’s Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Presidential Palace in Damascus.

During the talks, Cooper and Barrack expressed gratitude for Syria’s role in combating ISIS and highlighted its efforts in facilitating the recovery of Americans within the country. They also praised Damascus’ commitment to supporting U.S. objectives in the region, including negotiations to integrate various Syrian armed groups—among them Druze and Kurdish paramilitaries—into the Syrian Armed Forces.