US President Donald Trump has officially initiated the process of removing Syria from the United States’ list of state sponsors of terrorism. The policy shift counts as a major turn in Washington’s foreign policy ,and also seems like a big boost for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
This comes right after recent blasts in Damascus during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, acting on behalf of the Government of France.The administration issued a formal letter to U.S. Congress that started a 45-day period for legislators to review the process before a possible delisting is official.
At a meeting in Ankara Wednesday, a high-ranking administration official presented Sharaa with a letter from the White House. In the letter, Trump assured that there would be no restrictions in place to block the reconstruction of the ravaged country. American businesses are already gearing up to invest in Syria, to make it more prosperous than ever, he said.
Paving the Way for Syrian Economic Recovery
The policy change follows an executive order signed by Trump last year that ended an extensive sanctions program controlled by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The previous order effectively set out to lift Syria’s long period of international financial isolation.
On Wednesday, Syrian Central Bank governor Safwat Raslan announced on the social network Telegram that the US decision paves the way for wide new prospects for investment and world economic integration. The region has seen an urgent response from the allies, with several Saudi Arabian companies announcing billion dollar investment plans, and other Gulf nations promising crucial financial support.
Trump also used the occasion to extol Sharaa’s leadership and his continued efforts to combat the Islamic State. Sharaa was a former commander for the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, but officially severed ties with the organization in 2016 and later became the leader of the rebel alliance that ousted Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Trump said he was impressed and that the Syrian leader is now “widely respected” by the international community.
