Trump to lift Syria sanctions in bid to revive economy, foster regional ties
President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Monday formally terminating a U.S. sanctions program on Syria, aiming to end the country's isolation from the international financial system and fulfill Washington's pledge to support Syria's post-war reconstruction.
The decision will ease broad economic sanctions while maintaining targeted restrictions on former president Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, individuals linked to chemical weapons, the Islamic State, ISIS affiliates, and Iranian proxies, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
Assad was ousted in December following a rapid offensive by Islamist-led rebel groups. Since then, Syria has begun reestablishing international ties, although stability remains fragile. In May, President Trump met with Syria's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh. During the meeting, Trump surprised many by announcing the US would lift its sanctions, prompting a significant shift in US policy toward Syria.
The order, expected to be signed Monday afternoon, is intended to encourage humanitarian aid, foreign investment, and economic engagement, officials said. CBS previously reported that the order was directly linked to the US decision to ease sanctions.
Leavitt told reporters, 'He's committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors. This is another promise made and promise kept by this president to promote peace and stability in the region.'
Layers of US Sanctions
A Reuters investigation published Monday revealed the involvement of Syrian government forces in the killing of more than 1,500 Syrian Alawites during massacres along the Mediterranean coast in March. The Trump administration declined to comment on the report. It remains unclear whether any of the factions identified by Reuters will benefit from the easing of sanctions.
Following Trump's May announcement, the US Treasury Department issued a general license authorizing transactions involving Syria's interim government, central bank, and state-owned enterprises. However, significant layers of sanctions remain in place, some authorized by congressional legislation such as the Caesar Act.
To attract long-term foreign investment without legal risk, the full repeal of legislative sanctions is necessary. Most existing US sanctions date back to 2011, when Assad's government launched a brutal crackdown on protesters, sparking a civil war.
Meanwhile, European countries have announced plans to end their own economic sanctions on Syria, and some members of the US Congress are calling for a complete repeal of restrictions.
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