WASHINGTON — The State Department has formally moved to take Syria off its state sponsors of terrorism list as the Trump administration continues to mend fences with Damascus, the Treasury Department announced.
The decision to drop Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism was announced weeks ago and is subject to congressional review. Syria has had a state sponsor of terror designation from the US since 1979.
“This action unlocks new potential for Syria’s economic revitalization and progress,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of the move. “The Trump Administration continues to advance U.S. national security to achieve peace, prosperity, and security in the Middle East.”
A state sponsor of terrorism means that a designated country is blacklisted from critical foreign aid and military exports and is subject to financial penalties.
Since the toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has worked to normalize relations with the US and has lobbied for his country to be removed from all blacklists.
The move on Monday came in tandem with the removal of the Nusrah Front — a group al-Sharaa founded that fought the Assad regime during the civil war— as a specially designated global terrorist organization.
“Today’s action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement about the move.
Al-Sharaa has faced skeptics due to his past affiliations with al-Qaeda, which he cut off, and he eventually fought against ISIS during the Syrian Civil War.
President Trump met with al-Sharaa in Turkey while attending the NATO summit last month and praised the Syrian leader as “fantastic” and “highly respected.”
At the time, he indicated that he planned to take Syria off America’s state sponsors of terrorism list.
“I think I will, yeah. Why wouldn’t I?” Trump told reporters when asked. “He’s done a great job.”
Syrian Finance Minister Muhammad Yasser Bernia heralded Monday’s move as a “major and historic success for Syrian diplomacy.”
“This represents a significant and final step in strengthening Syria’s connection to the global economic and financial system, attracting modern investments and technologies, and supporting development opportunities,” Bernia added.
