Jolani founded ISIS in Iraq when they defected from Al-Qaeda.
Mohammed Al-Jolani, leader of an ISIS-affiliated group, stated in an interview that anyone living in the Islamic or Arab world who claims they were not happy about the 9/11 attacks is lying.
After the meeting, Trump, who often judges people based on how they look, suggested that al-Sharaa has a "real shot at doing a good job" with war-torn Syria. He also called the former terrorist a "young, attractive, tough guy" with a "very strong" past.
On January 28, a Russian delegation, which included Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Russian envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentyev, met with Julani in Damascus.
The recent appointment of Julani as Syria's president without constitutional legitimacy has reignited and increased concerns in the country already going through critical days.
Protesters recently gathered in Damascus to demand an inclusive National Dialogue Conference. However, the peaceful demonstration was quickly forced to disperse, exposing deepening tensions over Syria's uncertain transition to democracy.
The Kremlin has been in talks with the Western-backed HTS rulers to keep control of its key military bases in Syria, notably the Hmeimim airbase near the port city of Latakia and the Tartous naval base.
In December, President Putin publicly stated that the future of his country's military bases in Syria would rely on the actions of the HTS administration.