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The United States suspended most sanctions against Syria on Monday as President Donald Trump held an unprecedented White House meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking the first visit by a Syrian head of state to the executive mansion since the nation gained independence nearly 80 years ago.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced it was suspending Caesar Act sanctions against Syria for 180 days, excluding transactions linked to Iran and Russia, following the closed-door talks between the two leaders. The sanctions relief replaces a temporary waiver issued May 23 and is intended to maintain diplomatic dialogue with Syria's new government, according to the Treasury Department.
Experts said the move supports the transitional government's reform efforts and aims to promote regional stability.
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Sharaa departed the White House after nearly two hours of discussions with Trump and senior officials. The meeting, which Trump's daily schedule listed as "closed to the press," was expected to focus on removing sanctions imposed during Assad regime rule that crippled the Syrian economy, efforts to formally bring Damascus into the anti-Daesh coalition, and potential talks on normalization with Israel — one of Trump's stated goals.
No formal readout of the meeting was immediately issued by the White House.
The Trump administration has taken a series of measures to alleviate diplomatic and economic pressure on Syria as the country enters a new chapter after over 13 years of brutal civil war. Trump began the process of lifting U.S. sanctions on Syria following a May meeting with Sharaa in Saudi Arabia. After that sit-down, the U.S. president described his Syrian counterpart as a "young, attractive guy, tough guy, strong past," signaling a dramatic departure from decades of enmity that had defined U.S.-Syrian relations under the Assads.
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said last week in Bahrain that Sharaa is expected to sign a document with Trump for Syria to join the anti-Daesh coalition. It is unclear if an agreement was reached behind closed doors.
Türkiye's top diplomat Hakan Fidan arrived at the White House while the Sharaa-Trump meeting was still underway for separate talks with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Sharaa arrived at the White House at 11:37 a.m. local time and entered through a rear entrance. The diplomatic developments come as Syria enters a recovery period following the collapse of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024.
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