Syria president thanks Trump for ‘precious’ new cologne gift

DAMASCUS - Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has thanked US President Donald Trump for a gift of Trump cologne, a callback to their historic meeting in November when the American leader lavished his fragrance on the Syrian jihadist-turned-statesman.

Mr Sharaa was the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the country’s independence in 1946.

“Some meetings leave an impression; ours apparently left a fragrance,” Mr Sharaa posted in English on X late on May 19, posting an image of two Trump-branded fragrance boxes, one red and the other black.

“Thank you, Mr President @realDonaldTrump, for your generosity and for topping up this precious gift. May the spirit of that meeting continue to shape a stronger relationship between Syria and the United States.”

After the November meeting, video emerged showing Mr Trump gifting Mr Sharaa his cologne, spraying some on him and on Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

At the time, Mr Trump also gifted Mr Sharaa a perfume box for his wife, jokingly asking him “how many wives” he had.

A note to Mr Sharaa from Mr Trump pictured alongside the new boxes read: “They’re all talking about the picture we took when I gave you this great cologne – Just in case you ran out!”

The cologne’s website says the fragrance, which sells for US$249 (S$318.93) a bottle, “embodies strength, power, and victory”.

Since ousting longtime Syrian ruler and Washington foe Bashar al-Assad in 2024, Mr Sharaa and his new Islamist authorities in Damascus have rebooted ties with the US.

Mr Trump has ended sanctions and taken other steps to boost Mr Sharaa at the urging of the Syrian leader’s allies Saudi Arabia and Turkey, despite Israeli misgivings.

Mr Trump met Mr Sharaa for the first time in May 2025 in Saudi Arabia during a regional tour, dubbing the Syrian leader “a young, attractive guy”. AFP