Trump signs executive order ending decades-old Syria sanctions
The sweeping directive unwinds layers of sanctions but maintains Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that terminates the US government's framework of sanctions on Syria, which was originally designed to punish the former Assad regime but had become a barrier to the country’s post-war recovery.
It comes amid a dramatic shift in US policy on Syria prompted by Trump’s May 13 announcement that he would lift all sanctions and meet with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former jihadi who became the country’s president after spearheading the rebel offensive in December that ended nearly 14 years of civil war.
Speaking in a phone briefing with reporters, US special envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack described the executive order as “a blanket opportunity" to help restart Syria's economy.
“But one thing is clear: Neither the president nor the secretary of state are nation building,” Barrack said. “They're saying, we are going to give you an opportunity.”
