Trump’s Image Defaced on Billboards in Damascus Amid Controversial Peace Campaign

Watan-In a strange and controversial incident, residents of Damascus were surprised to see the image of U.S. President Donald Trump removed from large billboards recently placed throughout the capital. The billboards featured him alongside Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa.

The billboards, which appeared in several areas including Bab Musalla, carried the slogan: “Strong leaders make peace… The Syrian people thank you.” This sparked widespread debate on social media, especially after unknown individuals defaced Trump’s face on one of the billboards and wrote the phrase “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great).

The group responsible for putting up the billboards—a Syrian organization called Citizens for a Safe America, which receives U.S. backing—stated that the campaign’s aim was to highlight the growing closeness between Washington and Damascus. They denied any intention to suggest potential normalization with Israel.

It is worth noting that President Al-Sharaa met with his American counterpart Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in mid-May—marking the first such meeting between Syrian and American presidents in 25 years. The meeting was followed by Trump’s announcement lifting all sanctions imposed on Syria, a move that many considered a strategic shift in bilateral relations.