Trump to End U.S. Sanctions on Syria Monday \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump will sign an executive order ending most U.S. sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a major foreign policy promise. Sanctions on former leader Bashar Assad and top associates will remain. The move follows sweeping exemptions granted in May and reflects growing momentum toward U.S.-Syria normalization.
Quick Looks
- Executive action: Trump to sign order ending Syria sanctions Monday
- Policy shift: Move supports Syria’s “path to stability and peace”
- Sanctions remain: Bashar Assad and allies still targeted
- Initial steps: Sweeping exemptions granted by U.S. in May
- Diplomatic talks: Trump met Syria’s interim leader in Saudi Arabia
- White House statement: “Promise made, promise kept” — Karoline Leavitt
- International support: EU also lifted nearly all sanctions on Syria
- Conflict background: Syria crippled by 13-year civil war
- Longstanding penalties: Sanctions date back nearly half a century
- Regional implications: Shift could reshape U.S. Middle East posture
Deep Look
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a pivotal executive order Monday officially lifting broad U.S. sanctions on Syria, following through on a key foreign policy promise and signaling a major shift in America’s approach to the war-torn Middle Eastern nation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the decision in a statement Monday morning, framing the move as a step toward regional stability and diplomatic renewal. “The president’s action today is designed to promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace,” Leavitt said, emphasizing that sanctions on former Syrian President Bashar Assad and individuals closely tied to his regime would remain intact.
The announcement marks a milestone in Trump’s evolving Middle East strategy, which has prioritized transactional diplomacy and reconciliation over continued isolation. The executive order comes just weeks after the U.S. issued sweeping exemptions for Syria in May, easing restrictions on trade, banking, and travel in regions not controlled by Assad’s forces. Those exemptions were seen as the first tangible step in fulfilling Trump’s pledge to dismantle what he has repeatedly called “outdated and counterproductive” sanctions that have spanned nearly five decades.
Trump personally laid the groundwork for Monday’s action during a high-profile meeting in May with Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. That encounter was part of a broader diplomatic engagement with Arab leaders, aimed at strengthening ties and reshaping the U.S. presence in the region. During their meeting, Trump reportedly told al-Sharaa that the U.S. would lift sanctions and explore pathways toward normalizing bilateral relations—a move viewed by many observers as an ambitious break from previous administrations.
“This is another promise made and promise kept,” Leavitt said, echoing a familiar refrain from Trump’s political messaging.
The shift in U.S. policy comes at a time when Syria remains deeply fractured after more than 13 years of brutal civil war that displaced millions, destabilized the region, and drew in global powers. The conflict also gave rise to widespread humanitarian crises and extremist violence, prompting successive U.S. administrations to maintain sanctions as a tool of economic and diplomatic pressure.
However, Trump’s team has argued that continuing to isolate Syria has yielded diminishing returns and blocked potential progress in reconstruction, refugee return, and counterterrorism cooperation. By lifting sanctions on the broader Syrian economy while maintaining targeted measures against Assad and top figures implicated in war crimes, Trump aims to balance political accountability with humanitarian recovery.
Internationally, the U.S. move appears to be part of a broader trend toward reintegration. The European Union, in tandem with Washington’s new direction, has also lifted most of its remaining sanctions on Syria, citing improved conditions in parts of the country and a need to recalibrate its approach to Middle East diplomacy.
The implications of this move are far-reaching. Restoring U.S.-Syria economic and diplomatic ties could open the door to investment in infrastructure and humanitarian programs, potentially easing the burdens of post-war recovery. It may also reestablish channels of communication that had been severed during years of military confrontation and regime change rhetoric.
Still, critics warn that the normalization process carries risks. Human rights organizations argue that lifting sanctions without enforceable conditions may legitimize problematic actors and overlook unresolved issues of justice and accountability. Others in the foreign policy community caution that without careful oversight, such moves could embolden other sanctioned regimes.
Despite these concerns, the White House remains committed to what it calls a “pragmatic and principle-based” approach to Syria—one that maintains pressure on Assad while engaging constructively with the country’s interim leadership and regional partners.
Trump’s executive order is expected to detail specific economic sectors covered by the sanctions relief, as well as mechanisms for oversight and review. Officials say humanitarian organizations, foreign investors, and international development agencies will soon receive updated guidance on engaging with Syria under the revised policy.
As with many of Trump’s foreign policy decisions, this one is bound to spark heated debate. But for the administration and its allies, it represents yet another campaign promise fulfilled—and a recalibration of U.S. influence in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
Trump to End
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