US President Donald Trump has formally initiated the removal of Syria from the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, announcing the decision during a bilateral meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. The designation will be officially lifted in 45 days unless Congress moves to block it — an outcome considered unlikely, with some lawmakers having already called for Syria's removal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally notified Congress of the decision, calling it "another historic step" to give the Syrian people "a chance at greatness."

Syria has been on the terrorism list since 1979 — one of the longest-standing such designations in US history. The listing has carried sweeping consequences: restrictions on US foreign assistance, controls on defence exports, and automatic sanctions targeting third-party countries that conduct financial transactions with Damascus. Trump wrote to al-Sharaa that he had promised to "remove all barriers stopping you from rebuilding your country," adding that US companies were ready to invest in Syria. Syria's Central Bank Governor Safwat Raslan welcomed the move, saying it opened "broader opportunities for investment, economic recovery and Syria's reintegration into the global economy."

The decision marks a steady evolution in US-Syria relations since the fall of longtime president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Al-Sharaa, who previously commanded al Qaeda's Nusra Front before severing ties with the group in 2016, led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions that toppled Assad's government. Trump, who met al-Sharaa in Riyadh in May 2025, has praised his counterterrorism efforts and described him as "strong and respected." Last year, Trump also signed an executive order terminating a separate US sanctions programme on Syria, beginning the country's gradual re-engagement with the international financial system.

The announcement carries significant economic implications for both countries. US energy firms including Chevron and ConocoPhillips have already been approached about rehabilitating Syrian gas fields, conducting oil drilling operations, and rebuilding electrical infrastructure. Several Saudi companies are planning billion-dollar investments as part of Riyadh's efforts to support Syria's recovery, and other Gulf states have pledged additional financial assistance. The lifting of terrorism-list sanctions would also remove the so-called secondary sanctions that have deterred international banks and businesses from engaging with Syria.

Some US lawmakers have conditioned their broader support on Syria making progress on political inclusion — particularly greater representation of women and minorities in government. However, analysts and officials suggest Congress is unlikely to block the 45-day review. As one conflict-studies researcher noted, the mere fact of a Syrian president attending a NATO summit was itself significant — and the diplomatic outcome achieved there represents a landmark shift in a relationship defined for nearly five decades by hostility and isolation.