U.S. Formally Removes Syria from State Sponsor of Terrorism List

The Trump administration formally removed Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) blacklist on Monday, Aug. 24 – a landmark decision that lifts export restrictions and allows the United States to supply military aid to the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the delisting in a statement, also removing Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). According to Rubio, the actions represent “another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a path to prosperity.” [1]

Background and Context of the Delisting

Syria was first blacklisted in 1979 under Hafez al-Assad, due in part to its support for Palestinian resistance groups and its alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The delisting process accelerated after President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, Turkey. Trump has referred to Sharaa as “fantastic,” “highly respected,” and “tough,” according to officials. [2]

The White House meeting in November 2025 marked the first visit by a Syrian head of state to Washington, D.C., since 1946. Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who seized power in Damascus with his faction HTS, arrived as Washington’s newest partner in regional security.

Official photographs showed Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab, another former al-Qaeda member, alongside Secretary of State Rubio. [1] [7]

Rationale and Conditions for Delisting

Rubio stated that Syria has taken “significant steps to counter terrorism,” including formally joining the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November and conducting operations against ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Iran-aligned groups. The delisting stems from Trump’s executive order in June 2025, which directed sanctions relief for Syria, citing his assessment of positive changes and formal assurances provided by Damascus. [2] [5]

“Rescinding Syria’s designation as an SST and HTS’ designation as an SDGT eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria’s economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy,” Rubio said.

Trump signed an executive order on June 30 lifting broad U.S. sanctions on Syria, fulfilling a pledge made in May to support Syria’s transition and promote regional stability, according to officials. [3] [5]

Reactions and Implications

Natasha Hall, associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, described the delisting as “earth-shifting” for Syria, stating it was a key barrier to economic recovery.

The Syrian American Council expressed gratitude for the move, with grassroots officer Alberto Hernandez calling it “a clear win for US policy… from just the American national security perspective.” [5]

The delisting follows an Israeli bombing of Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase, which escalated tensions between Washington and Damascus, as well as with Turkey, a key Syrian ally.

Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and envoy to Syria, called the strike “serious and worrying” in an interview, floating the idea that Israel may have been trying to “bait” Turkey into a war. The move marks a significant shift in US foreign policy under Trump, who has reversed many of the Obama administration’s policies that critics said benefited adversaries. [3] [5]

Reese Erlich, author of “Inside Syria,” noted that the French Mandate period from 1920-1946 established a divide-and-rule strategy in the region, creating separate regions for different religious and ethnic groups, a legacy that continues to influence Syrian politics today. [4]

References

1. Laura Harris. “US Removes Syria’s Former al Qaeda Affiliate HTS from Terror List”. NaturalNews.com. July 13, 2025.
2. Laura Harris. “Trump lifts US sanctions on Syria citing push for stability and peace”. NaturalNews.com. July 05, 2025.
3. Sean Hannity. “Live Free Or Die: America (and the World) on the Brink”.
4. Reese Erlich. “Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect”.
5. Yasmine El-Sabawi. “Trump removes Syria from ‘terrorism list'”. Middle East Eye. August 24, 2026.
6. “Trump To Delist Syria From Terror Designation, Boasts Of Putting ‘Fantastic’ Sharaa In Power”. Zero Hedge. July 09, 2026.
7. “From al-Qaeda to the Oval Office: Trump’s New Syrian Partner”. The New American. November 11, 2025.