Trump Announces Lifting of Sanctions on Syria

Critical Questions by Mona Yacoubian

Published May 13, 2025

President Trump announced the intention to lift U.S. sanctions on the Syrian government during a speech in Riyadh, his first stop on a four-day tour of the Gulf. Syria is among the most sanctioned countries in the world, subject to multiple layers of direct U.S. sanctions as well as secondary sanctions targeting third countries that might invest in Syria. The Syrian economy has all but collapsed in recent years, in part due to strict sanctions that cut the country off from the global financial system. While the president can waive or suspend sanctions through an executive order, congressionally mandated sanctions can only be repealed by Congress.

Q1: Why did President Trump choose this moment to lift Syria sanctions?

A1: Since the fall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad last December, Syrian and international stakeholders have termed the sanctions that targeted Assad's brutality obsolete. President Trump appears to have seized the moment in Riyadh to make an announcement that would please his Saudi hosts and other Gulf countries who have pushed for easing Syria sanctions. The sanctions have choked off investment and hobbled efforts at Syrian reconstruction. The president may have calculated that this move would yield not only Gulf goodwill but also help facilitate lucrative deals with U.S. businesses and large-scale Gulf investment, expected deliverables from his trip.

Q2: Who are the key winners following the administration's sanctions announcement?

A2: Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Shara is a clear winner. Shara has prioritized the need to lift sanctions as critical for Syria's stability and recovery, raising the issue consistently with foreign interlocutors. Shara may even score a brief meeting with President Trump, potentially slated for Wednesday. Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries, and Turkey also benefit from the president's announcement as they seek to help Shara consolidate his control and stabilize the country. Indeed, in his announcement, Trump referenced requests to ease sanctions from both Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is slated to meet with his Syrian counterpart in Turkey later this week.

Q3: Who will be unhappy with the sanction rollback?

A3: In the region, the Israeli government is likely most concerned by President Trump's announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of his cabinet have voiced serious concerns about the potential perils of a former jihadist in control of the government in Damascus. At home, U.S. congressional stakeholders and even some elements within Trump's administration may also be alarmed by the president's decision. Many view sanctions relief as important leverage that should be calibrated to Shara's behavior and approach to governance. In this view, the wholesale lifting of sanctions without demonstrable progress toward an inclusive governance that eschews hardline Islamist participation deprives the United States of an important lever of influence.

Mona Yacoubian is senior adviser and director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

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