Trump Signs Executive Order Ending Syria Sanctions, Paving Way for Reconstruction

Trump Signs Executive Order Ending Syria Sanctions, Paving Way for Reconstruction

President Donald Trump signed a landmark executive order on June 30, 2025, terminating the majority of U.S. sanctions on Syria as part of a sweeping effort to support the country’s reconstruction and path to peace after more than a decade of civil war.

The executive order marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward Syria, lifting a half-century of punitive measures while maintaining sanctions on former President Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, and individuals linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS, or Iranian proxies.

The move follows Trump’s announcement in May during a visit to the Middle East, where he met with Syria’s transitional leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and pledged to roll back sanctions to help the country rebuild and normalize relations with the international community.

Under the new order, the Secretary of State is directed to review and potentially suspend sanctions under the Caesar Act and to reassess Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, as well as the listings of certain groups and individuals as foreign terrorist organizations. Export controls on certain goods to Syria will be relaxed, and restrictions on foreign assistance will be waived to aid in reconstruction efforts.

The Syrian transitional government, which came to power after the collapse of the Assad regime in December, has repeatedly called for sanctions relief, attributing the country’s inability to pay civil service salaries and rebuild infrastructure to the restrictive measures.