President Trump has announced a major shift in U.S. Syria policy by lifting decades-old sanctions and normalizing relations with the country. This move aims to counter Iranian influence in the region, though it carries risks of empowering jihadist groups in Syria. The decision represents a significant departure from Trump’s previous stance, in which he had criticized Syria as a ‘mess’ and stated that the U.S. should have ‘nothing to do with it.’ The decision has been hailed as a high-risk, high-reward gamble, with experts acknowledging the potential for both major gains and significant challenges.
The news was a surprising shift from Trump’s prior position, with his previous public statements describing Syria as a ‘mess’ and indicating that the U.S. should have ‘nothing to do with it.’ This change of posture is a gamble that could see serious gains regarding regional stability and securing U.S. interests by deterring Iranian influence, according to Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran expert and senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Trump’s decision to lift sanctions and normalize relations with Syria was followed by an EU order to lift sanctions, signaling a coordinated effort to encourage Syria to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel. However, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is also the leader of the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has not officially agreed to pursue diplomatic ties with Jerusalem, a push that several Middle Eastern nations have rejected due to its aggressive military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Despite these challenges, Trump emphasized that the new Syrian government needs to suppress the rise of Islamic extremist groups, which is expected to be one of the nation’s chief vulnerabilities as it looks to completely re-establish itself in the world order with trade, business, and diplomacy reopened to Damascus. The decision has also drawn strong criticism from Iran, which has launched a blistering attack on Trump following his Middle East visit.
Syria is not a united nation, as conflict persists across the country between varying minority groups, former regime loyalists, and terrorist organizations like ISIS. Secretary of State Macro Rubio has warned lawmakers on Tuesday that Syria could be just ‘weeks’ away from a ‘potential collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions.’