President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday revoking nearly every economic sanction on Syria, a sweeping policy shift designed to capitalize on the rise of Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and to realign Middle Eastern power dynamics in America’s favor.
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New sheriff in Damascus: Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad in December with help from his faction, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. Once infamous for his jihadist ties, Sharaa now pledges to stabilize Syria, rebuild its economy, and normalize relations with the West—an opportunity Trump says can’t be squandered.
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Key points of the order:
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Terminates multiple Syria sanctions programs and ends the long-running “national emergency” with Syria effective January 1.
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Directs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review Syria’s status as a state sponsor of terror and the terror designations on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
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Leaves in place sanctions on Assad, human-rights abusers, Iranian proxies, ISIS, and other extremist elements.
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Eases export restrictions to spur U.S. investment in reconstruction, energy, and tech sectors.
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Rubio emphasized that sanctions will no longer “impede Syria’s future,” calling the decision a cornerstone of “a new relationship between the United States and a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.”
Trump’s view is blunt: Sharaa may have a checkered past, but he’s the man now holding Syria together—one whose ambitions include forging ties with Israel, opening Syrian oil and gas to American companies, and even erecting a Trump Tower in Damascus. “He’s got a real shot,” Trump said, noting that regional players like Turkey’s President Erdogan have vouched for the young leader.
Why it matters: Ending sanctions will give Washington leverage over Syria’s reconstruction, sideline Iran’s influence, and perhaps peel Damascus away from Russia’s orbit—while rewarding a leader who’s signaled willingness to work with the United States.
What stays in place: The order does not forgive Assad’s crimes, nor does it lift penalties on Iran or jihadist holdouts. “This is about rewarding new behavior, not erasing the past,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “If Sharaa delivers on stability, takes on extremists, and keeps the door open to peace with Israel, the Syrian people and the region win.”
The Caesar Act sanctions, designed to punish Assad’s atrocities, could be suspended if Rubio certifies progress on human rights and counter-terrorism—another leverage point to shape Syria’s direction.
The bottom line: Trump’s move is a high-risk, high-reward gamble: bet on a former militant-turned-president to rebuild a shattered nation, realign Middle East alliances, and give American businesses first dibs on Syria’s resources—while keeping the hammer over anyone who dares slip back into terror.