On Tuesday, during his official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump made a rather surprising announcement: That he would raise sanctions on Syria, long recognized as a state sponsor of Islamic terrorism - but which saw its long-term dictator, Bashar al-Assad, overthrown last December, and a new, provisional government in place.

That may be the reason for the decision, but the president didn't specify.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US will lift sanctions on Syria.

The president made the announcement during his visit to Saudi Arabia. “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump told the audience, which erupted with applause. 

Watch:

President Trump announces he is lifting sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/y0Bu90eYEE

— Jeff Charles, The Nullifier🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 13, 2025

The president said:

Among others, people who are friends of mine and others who I have a lot of respect for in the Middle East, I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria, in order to give them a chance at greatness.

That's a heck of a big carrot President Trump is handing Syria.

It's also a rather curious move. Syria is no longer under the Ba'athist al-Assad regime, but the newly seated government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the "caretaker" government that preceded it haven't exactly been pictures of sweetness and light, either. Several key figures in the new government have had ties to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, and there are still reports of attacks by Islamic militias on ethnic and religious minorities within Syria.

See Also: Chaos in Syria: Over 600 Killed by Al-Qaeda Linked Militias in Massacre of Minorities

Secretary of State Rubio Calls for 'Credible, Sectarian Governance' in Syria - How Likely Is That?

In March, during fighting between pro-Assad loyalists and forces of the provisional government, over 1,000 fighters and as many as 745 non-combatants were killed. The current transitional government was seated on March 29th, replacing the "caretaker" government. The United Kingdom preceded the United States in lifting sanctions, having done so in April. The British Minister for the Middle East made, at that time, an announcement that sounds much like President Trump's:

Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: "The Syrian people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their country and economy, and a stable Syria is in the UK's national interest."

A stable Syria would be in everyone's best interest. And lifting sanctions, allowing Syria back into the mainstream of nations, may help with that. But any lifting of sanctions should be done with caution, and with conditions in place: No more massacres of minorities, no more support for or harboring of Islamic terrorists, and no more "presidents for life." It's not at all clear if Syria is ready to enter the modern world, but President Trump and the United Kingdom seem willing to let them have their chance.

The next few months or years will tell us if it works or not. There is a lot of cause for skepticism; this part of the world isn't exactly a bastion of freedom, tolerance, and peaceful government.

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