Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally informed Congress of the administration’s intent to remove Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, starting the required 45-day review period.
- President Donald Trump announced the decision during a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and U.S. officials say it follows formal assurances and reported counterterrorism steps by the new Syrian government.
- If lawmakers do not block the action during the review, the SST designation will be revoked and certain legal limits on foreign investment and U.S. assistance will be lifted, though other sanctions and statutory restrictions would remain in place.
- The decision has drawn support from bipartisan U.S. lawmakers and regional investors ready to fund reconstruction, while Israel and security analysts warn about al-Sharaa’s past militant ties and the risk of residual networks such as Hezbollah.
- Syria has been on the U.S. terrorism list since 1979, and the delisting is the latest step in a wider 2025–26 rollback of Syria-related sanctions that began with executive and Treasury moves and a congressional repeal of parts of prior sanctions.