President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to terminate U.S. sanctions against Syria in a massive first step to normalize relations with the country formerly embroiled in a bloody civil war.
The U.S. began thawing its relationship with Syria in May after Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, establishing a new government under Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The new order will eliminate sanctions against the official Syrian government while maintaining measures against former President Bashar al-Assad, ISIS, Iranian proxies and any terrorist organizations in the region.
“This is an effort to promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press conference Monday. “This is another promise made and promise kept to promote peace and stability in the region.”
“The Order removes sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS or its affiliates, and Iranian proxies,” a White House official told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Prior to the end of the Assad regime, Syria had been in a chaotic, bloody civil war since 2011, with multiple groups vying for control of the nation while outside powers like the U.S. and Russia got involved by backing various groups to pursue their own objectives. The U.S. has had a military presence in Syria since 2014, and is now mainly fighting the Islamic State under Operation Inherent Resolve.
Al-Sharaa cultivated a more pro-Western image compared to Assad, with many legacy media outlets saying the new government was “moderate” compared to the previous regime. However, it remains to be seen how the new government will treat the country’s many minorities, as mass killings of Alawites in March reportedly involved government-adjacent militant groups.
The Trump administration is attempting to improve relations with the new government, even floating bringing them into the Abraham Accords, a treaty designed to mend ties between the Arab states and Israel.
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