The first television appearance of Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Saraa, on CBS’s “60 Minutes” program Sunday evening sparked intense discussion on social media. A particular moment with the network’s correspondent, Margaret Brennan, went viral, as many users commented on the Syrian leader’s… flirty demeanor during the interview.
Specifically, it all started when Brennan referenced statements by Donald Trump, who after meeting with al-Saraa in May, had described him as “handsome,” “tough” and having a “strong background.” “When you met President Trump, he called you handsome, tough and said you have an intense past,” the journalist said. Al-Saraa smiled and replied: “Do you have any doubt about that?“, creating a momentary feeling of awkwardness on set. Brennan quickly returned to the political dimension of the interview: “I have no doubt about your past – and that’s exactly why the American government has labeled you a terrorist.”
Bro thought 60 Minutes was a dating show 🤣 pic.twitter.com/xj6qPEK48u
— Xumas (@xumas_iq) October 13, 2025
Syria’s president al-Saraa’s flirtation with journalist: “60 Minutes”… or a date?
The clip featuring Syrian President Ahmed al-Saraa’s smile on the show went viral, gathering millions of views within hours. Social media users mockingly called him “President Rizz,” a Gen Z term denoting charm or flirty behavior. One X user commented characteristically: “Bro thought he was going on a dating reality show, not 60 Minutes.”
Later in the interview, journalist Margaret Brennan posed more challenging questions, referring to the period when al-Saraa led Jabhat al-Nusra, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria during the civil war. Brennan reminded him that until recently there was a $10 million bounty on his head, with him responding ironically: “That would be wasted money.”
“We’re talking about 25 years ago. I was 17 or 18 years old then. The knowledge and wisdom I have today has no relation to what I had two decades ago,” he added, according to the New York Post.
From jihad to power
It should be noted that the interview was given a few months after Ahmed al-Saraa’s rise to power in Syria, following the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024. Bashar al-Assad is now in exile in Russia and, according to international media, was recently hospitalized after a poisoning attempt near Moscow.
Ahmed al-Saraa, 42, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is now attempting to shape an image of a moderate leader and reformer. After his meeting with Donald Trump in Riyadh and the lifting of American sanctions, the United States removed the “terrorist organization” designation from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group he had founded and led.
Trump spoke warmly about al-Saraa, emphasizing that he is “young,” “attractive” and “tough,” with “real chances to keep Syria united,” which is still healing from the multi-year civil war. Additionally, the American president reportedly encouraged Damascus to officially recognize Israel, within the framework of the Abraham Accords.
During the interview, al-Saraa denied any active relationship with terrorism today and characterized his past as “a generation’s mistake.” As he stated, his priority is now “to rebuild a country that has suffered excessively.” Although there is still intense skepticism in Washington toward his assurances, American officials declare themselves “cautiously optimistic” about Syria’s new direction.
