Trump Lifts Terror Label From Group Led by Syria’s New President/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has lifted the terror designation from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Syria’s new interim president, signaling warmer U.S.-Syria relations after Assad’s ouster. Economic sanctions are also easing to support Syria’s rebuilding efforts. Major congressional sanctions remain, requiring further legal changes for full repeal.
Quick Look
- U.S. removes terror label from Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
- Move aligns with efforts to normalize ties post-Assad.
- Economic sanctions eased, but key restrictions still remain.
Trump Administration Lifts Terror Label From Group Led by Syria’s New President
Deep Look
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has removed the terrorism designation from a group led by Syria’s new interim president, part of a broader U.S. strategy to engage with Syria’s transitional government after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar Assad late last year.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally revoked the designation on June 23, in coordination with the attorney general and treasury secretary, according to a notice set for publication Tuesday in the Federal Register.
The move signals a significant shift in U.S. policy, aiming to help Syria emerge from years of isolation and rebuild after a brutal 13-year civil war that left much of the country in ruins.
The brief notice, posted online Monday in the Federal Register’s public inspection section, said the U.S. was revoking the foreign terrorist organization designation for the al-Nusrah Front, which also goes by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. No further details were provided, but officials said additional statements would be released Tuesday by the State and Treasury departments.
The group had originally been labeled a terrorist organization due to its previous ties to al-Qaida. Though it formally split from al-Qaida in 2017 and rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group remained under U.S. sanctions throughout Assad’s rule and the early years of the Trump presidency.
Syria’s diplomatic ties with the United States and other Western nations have been gradually improving since Assad was ousted in December during a rapid rebel offensive led by now-Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s faction.
Just a week after Rubio’s decision, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 30 ending numerous U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a commitment he made to al-Sharaa during their meeting in Saudi Arabia in May.
The sanctions relief is intended to help reintegrate Syria into the global economy and encourage foreign investment and trade, U.S. officials said. However, restrictions remain in place on Assad himself, his family, and senior officials accused of human rights abuses, drug trafficking, or involvement in Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Additionally, significant sanctions imposed by Congress remain intact, targeting anyone doing business with Syria’s military or intelligence services or supporting institutions linked to human rights violations. While the Trump administration has temporarily waived some of these measures under the Caesar Act, fully repealing them would require legislative action.
The lifting of the terrorist designation is seen as another step toward stabilizing Syria and signaling to international partners that the U.S. is prepared to engage with the country’s new leadership, as long as it distances itself from Assad-era abuses and terror networks.
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