To entrench "stability" in the Middle East, Trump signed an executive order to lift sanctions on Syria

Donald Trump announced that he will end the sanctions program imposed on Syria. According to a statement released by the White House, the move pursues the goal of supporting "the country’s path to stability and peace" in the Middle East. The measure fulfills a promise the president made during his last trip to Saudi Arabia.

Specifically, the executive order signed by Trump will immediately terminate five other executive orders that created the sanctions program. In addition, it will order other sanctions in place through Congress to be waived and those that cannot be unilaterally terminated to be reviewed.

However, the executive order signed by the president maintains sanctions against "Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS or its affiliates, and Iranian proxies."

Syria has been under heavy U.S. sanctions since 1979, when the country was designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Since then, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden have expanded and tightened sanctions over the past two decades.

Since the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, power has been in the hands of Ahmed al-Sharaa, one of the leaders of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

"U.S. sanctions were imposed in response to the Assad regime’s brutal actions against the Syrian people and their direct support for terrorism in the region. Recent positive changes and actions taken by the government of Syria, after the fall of the brutal Assad regime, demonstrate promise for a stable and peaceful future," explained the White House.

"Removing sanctions will support Syria’s efforts to rebuild and counter terrorism without empowering harmful actors. A unified Syria that protects its people and rejects extremism strengthens security and prosperity in the Middle East. This policy aligns with U.S. goals to promote peace and stability in the region while holding accountable those responsible for past atrocities or terrorism," they added.