Egyptian Media in Crisis After Sisi’s Surprise Congratulation to Syria’s New President
After months of fierce attacks on Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Egyptian media figures face an embarrassing reversal following President Sisi’s official recognition of Syria’s new leader.
Watan-Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has sparked widespread controversy in media circles after officially congratulating Ahmed Al-Sharaa on his appointment as President of the Syrian Arab Republic, wishing him success in his new role. This move has put Egyptian media figures close to the regime in a difficult position, as they had spent months attacking Al-Sharaa and describing him in the harshest terms, accusing him of terrorism and extremism since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.
Egyptian journalists known for their unwavering loyalty to the regime, including Ahmed Moussa, Nashaat al-Dihy, Amr Adib, Ibrahim Issa, and Mustafa Bakri, found themselves in an embarrassing situation. Until very recently, they had been launching fierce attacks against Al-Sharaa, yet today, their president has congratulated him and granted him official recognition. This blatant contradiction has clearly exposed the double standards of Egyptian media, which shifts its stance according to official directives without any commitment to professionalism or integrity.
The tweet posted by President Sisi’s official account, in which he explicitly congratulated Al-Sharaa, caused great astonishment, especially since Egyptian media had consistently promoted the narrative that Al-Sharaa was merely a “terrorist” who came to power through a military coup. So how has he suddenly become a legitimate president in Cairo’s eyes?
This embarrassing situation led some Egyptian journalists to remain completely silent, while others attempted to justify their shift in stance by claiming that “political orientations change according to the public interest.” This only fueled further ridicule from observers, who described these journalists as mere “hired mouthpieces” that operate according to directives from the presidential palace.
On social media platforms, sarcastic comments poured in, recalling the contradictory positions of Egyptian journalists. Just days ago, they were fiercely attacking Al-Sharaa, only to find themselves now forced to acknowledge him as Syria’s legitimate leader following Sisi’s congratulatory message.
Some activists reposted old videos of these journalists attacking Al-Sharaa and compared them to their current statements, highlighting how media rhetoric can change overnight.
This incident is not the first time that Egyptian media has been exposed for manipulating facts to serve the regime’s interests, but it is certainly one of the most embarrassing scandals. It has become evident to everyone that absolute loyalty to the authorities is the sole guiding principle for these journalists, and they are willing to change their positions at any moment just to appease their “Pharaoh.”
