Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as jihadist leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, will make history as the first Syrian president to visit the White House, meeting President Donald Trump on Monday.

Over the past year, al-Sharaa has worked to transform his global image and address domestic divisions in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Trump praised al-Sharaa’s leadership and noted progress in Syria, while U.S. officials expect him to commit to joining the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS during his visit.

The State Department recently removed al-Sharaa and his interior minister from the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, with the UK and Europe also lifting sanctions following a UN Security Council resolution, NBC News has reported.

Analysts view the Washington trip as a high-level signal of U.S. trust and support for al-Sharaa during Syria’s challenging transition.