How Trump, Biden, other world leaders reacted to ousting of Syrian President al-Assad

Syrian rebels on Sunday announced the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad after seizing control of Damascus, marking the historic end of his family’s decades-long rule.

Tribune Online reports that the dramatic development comes after more than 13 years of civil war, reshaping the political landscape of the Middle East.

The Islamist rebel coalition’s capture of Damascus delivered a significant blow to the influence of Assad’s long-time allies, Russia and Iran, who have played pivotal roles in sustaining his regime during critical moments of the conflict.

According to reports from Iran’s Press TV, the rebels stormed Iran’s embassy in Damascus following the city’s takeover.

A Syrian army officer who spoke to Reuters confirmed that the military command notified officers of Assad’s ouster on Sunday. However, the military has since stated that operations against “terrorist groups” are ongoing in key regions, including Hama, Homs, and Deraa.

President al-Assad, who has not been seen publicly since the rapid rebel advance began a week ago, fled Damascus earlier on Sunday to an undisclosed location, senior army officials told Reuters. The whereabouts of Assad, his wife Asma, and their two children remain unknown.

The development has, however, continued to generate reactions from leaders around the world, who have shared their perspectives on the ousting of President al-Assad.

Donald Trump

United States President-elect Donald Trump in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, said that losing the backing of Russia made President al-Assad to flee his country. 

He wrote, “Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.

“There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever.”

Joe Biden

The White House stated that “President Joe Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.”

Emmanuel Macron

France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, hailed the collapse of al-Assad’s “barbaric state” in Syria and extended wishes of peace to the nation’s people.

“The barbaric state has fallen. At last,” Macron posted on X.

“I pay tribute to the Syrian people, to their courage, to their patience. In this moment of uncertainty, I send them my wishes for peace, freedom, and unity,” he added.

China

China’s foreign ministry stated that Beijing “is closely following the development of the situation in Syria and hopes that Syria returns to stability as soon as possible.”

“The Chinese government has actively assisted Chinese citizens who are willing to leave Syria in a safe and orderly way, and has maintained contact with… Chinese citizens who remain in Syria,” the ministry continued.

“We urge the relevant Syrian parties to take practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Syria,” it added.

United Nations 

The United Nations’ envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, stated, “What is important is that we are able to find a situation where there is a political way out of this.”

“And that political way needs to be very different from what it has been before, it needs to be a process that is inclusive of everyone, and where we really focus on the need for unity, stability, where Syria is able to restore its sovereignty and its territory. There are lots of wounds that need to be healed,” he added.

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