Trump Announces End to Sanctions Against Syria, Plans Meeting with New President al-Sharaa
President Donald Trump has announced a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, stating that the United States will lift sanctions against Syria. The decision, revealed during a speech in Saudi Arabia, marks a potential turning point in relations between the two nations, which have been strained for over a decade due to the Syrian civil war and the policies of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Trump framed the move as an opportunity for Syria to rebuild and achieve "greatness" under its new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. "I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness," Trump declared, emphasizing the hope that the new government will succeed in stabilizing the country and fostering peace.
The announcement came as Trump embarked on his first international tour of his second term in office, with Saudi Arabia serving as the initial stop. He is scheduled to meet briefly with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Trump condemned what he called "interventionalists" and pitched a "more hopeful future" in the Middle East during his speech. He acknowledged the "misery and death" that Syria has endured and stated that his administration has already taken steps to restore normal relations between the United States and Syria, marking the first such efforts in more than ten years.
The previous sanctions, imposed during the 14-year civil war under al-Assad, had effectively cut off Syria from the global financial system. Trump described these sanctions as "brutal and crippling" but acknowledged they were considered "important" at the time.
Al-Sharaa, who previously had a $10 million terrorist bounty on his head by the U.S., has actively sought a relationship with Washington and sanctions relief. He offered various incentives, including building a Trump Tower in Damascus, pursuing détente with Israel, and granting U.S. access to Syria’s oil and gas reserves.
Al-Sharaa’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led the ouster of al-Assad last year. Initially founded as an offshoot of al Qaeda, HTS has since worked to improve its image and has lobbied to be removed from the list of designated terrorist groups.
The announcement occurred during a Middle East tour that includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. It is believed that leaders from these nations were expected to urge Trump to lift the sanctions in order to assist Syria’s economy. Trump indicated that both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Erdoğan had encouraged him to ease the sanctions. "Oh, what I do for the crown prince," Trump quipped.
The U.S. sanctions had previously placed financial penalties on any foreign individual or company that provided material support to the Syrian government. The sanctions also prohibited anyone in the U.S. from engaging in any transactions with Syrian entities, including those involved in oil and gas. Syrian banks were effectively isolated from global financial systems.
The new Syrian government has purportedly cooperated with U.S. intelligence agencies and claims to have thwarted several ISIS plots to attack Damascus. Syrian intelligence services arrested ISIS commander Abu al-Harith al-Iraqi in February.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., who recently met with the Syrian leader, told Fox News Digital that "Al Sharaa has a checkered past, which we all want to be cautious with but at the same time, I think that this is a great opportunity to help Syria move in a different direction." Stutzman added, "If we don’t engage, I believe that we would definitely just be pushing him back into the arms of Russia and potentially even Iran."
During their meeting, Stutzman said al-Sharaa outlined his vision to transform Syria into a hub for trade, commerce, and tourism. The congressman said, "He really does want to build Syria into a country similar like to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE. He really got excited, kind of moved up to the edge of his seat, when he started talking about the opportunity for trade lines to cross Syria into Europe."
Despite the potential benefits, some remain skeptical about the decision to lift sanctions.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who traveled to Turkey this week to assess the situation in Syria, stated, "I am very inclined to support sanctions relief for Syria under the right conditions. However, we must remember that the current leadership in Syria achieved its position through force of arms, not through the will of its people."
He emphasized that Syria remains listed as a state sponsor of terrorism and that Israel is "extremely concerned about the state of play in Syria." Graham added, "In order for that designation to be lifted, the administration must submit a report to Congress on how circumstances have changed. That report has not been received and Congress has the opportunity to review this action if it chooses."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford told Fox News Digital, "Right now, Sharaa is not restricting political and civil liberties, but he’s an authoritarian by nature."
Ford, who led the effort to place al-Sharaa on the terrorist list in 2012, said that while al-Sharaa is pragmatic, he leads an extremely weak government. "He doesn’t control all of Syria yet. The government in Damascus that he leads is not very strong, and it will take time to reassert all of its authority over Syria," Ford said.
