Trump Ends Most US Sanctions on Syria, Assad Sanctions Remain

President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting most U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, marking a significant shift in American policy aimed at promoting stability and peace in the region. This move primarily supports Syria's interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist commander whose group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was previously designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. While sanctions against Bashar al-Assad, his associates, and other designated individuals remain in place, the order dismantles a 2004 national emergency declaration and other Syria-related sanctions, facilitating Syria’s reintegration into the international financial system. The U.S. hopes this policy change will encourage the new Syrian government to counter terrorism, respect minority rights, and establish regional ties, including with Israel, without imposing strict nation-building demands. The decision received support from advocacy groups urging Syria’s transition to democracy and reconstruction, though concerns remain about the alignment of al-Sharaa's regime with U.S. and Israeli interests. The European Union has also lifted nearly all remaining sanctions on Syria, further signaling a broader international shift toward normalization.