President Donald Trump informed Congress and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday that he had decided to remove Syria from the U.S. list of designated state sponsors of terrorism, opening the way for sanctions relief and renewed international investment in Damascus.
According to Reuters, which reviewed a letter Trump sent to al-Sharaa, a senior U.S. administration official said the letter was handed to the Syrian president after the two leaders met Wednesday at the NATO summit in Ankara. In the letter, Trump wrote that he had decided to remove Syria from the U.S. terror list and promised to clear obstacles preventing the country’s reconstruction.
Trump and al-Sharaa in Ankara, Wednesday
(Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst )
“I promised to remove all barriers stopping you from rebuilding your country, and very soon, you will finally be able to do so,” Trump wrote.
“We have U.S. companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever before,” he added. Trump said he had notified Congress of the decision, which will now undergo a 45-day review before it can take effect.
The designation as a state sponsor of terrorism imposes restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, defense exports and certain financial transactions. Removing Syria from the list would help pave the way for Damascus to reconnect with the global financial system and attract foreign investment.
Syrian Central Bank Governor Safwat Raslan said the U.S. move would expand investment opportunities, support economic recovery and help reintegrate Syria into the global economy, according to a post on Telegram.
The decision follows an executive order Trump signed last year ending a U.S. sanctions program on Syria, which allowed the country to begin moving away from international financial isolation. Several Saudi companies are planning billion-dollar investments as part of Riyadh’s efforts to support Syria’s recovery, while other Gulf states have also pledged financial assistance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move, describing it as “a significant milestone in the renewed bilateral relationship between the United States and Syria.”
“A stable and unified Syria that lives in peace with itself and its neighbors benefits not only the region, but the entire world,” Rubio said. He added that lifting sanctions would open the door to trade and international investment, giving Syria an opportunity to rebuild and opening “a new chapter” for the Syrian people.
Trump also praised al-Sharaa during their meeting. Before becoming Syria’s leader, al-Sharaa was a commander of the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front in Syria before cutting ties with the group in 2016. He later led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions that toppled Bashar Assad’s regime in late 2024. Trump said he supported al-Sharaa’s actions against Islamic State militants in the region. “He’s respected by everybody, including me,” Trump said of al-Sharaa.
IDF strikes in Syria and stone-throwing at its forces
The decision comes amid continued tensions between Syria and Israel in the buffer zone area, where Israeli forces remain active.
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Damascus, becoming the first leader of a major Western country to visit Syria in years, following the outbreak of the civil war in 2011 and especially after Assad’s removal from power in late 2024.
The visit was seen as a major step in al-Sharaa’s efforts to restore Syria’s international standing, though concerns remain in the West over his background and the nature of the new Syrian leadership.
A day later, Syrian media reported two explosions near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus, where Macron had stayed overnight. A security source told Reuters that the blasts were caused by two explosive devices — one placed in a car and another in a trash bin near the hotel in central Damascus.
Syrian security officials said 18 people were wounded, including four police officers, but added that Macron’s convoy had left the area about 15 minutes before the explosions.