Trump prepares to issue an executive order lifting all sanctions on Syria

US President Donald Trump intends to issue an executive order lifting a broad package of sanctions imposed on Syria, as part of a new approach aimed at supporting the country’s recovery after more than a decade of civil war.

According to US sources, the expected decision is in line with Trump’s pledges to lift economic restrictions on Syria, which will pave the way for the resumption of trade and financial relations with Syrian state institutions.

Trump is expected to sign this order in the coming days, and according to statements by one official, this step represents a complete cancellation of the punitive structure imposed on Syria.

This comes after Washington announced on May 23 the first stages of sanctions relief, which included granting a general license allowing Americans to deal with Syrian government institutions such as the central bank, the national oil company, and the official airline.

The US State Department also announced a six-month suspension of the “Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act,” a law passed by Congress in 2020 that targets the Syrian regime and its allies with severe sanctions.

It’s worth noting that US sanctions on Syria began in 2011, with the escalation of protests against the Syrian regime, and were later expanded under the Caesar Act, causing stifling economic isolation for the country.

Trump’s move is expected to include the repeal of several previous executive orders, some dating back to the pre-civil war years, that prohibited US companies from providing services or exporting products to Syria.

Trump discussed the sanctions issue during his recent visit to Riyadh, where he met with Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa in the first public meeting between the two countries’ presidents in nearly 25 years.

He described the meeting as a pivotal step toward normalizing relations and launching the reconstruction phase.

In this context, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that US engagement in supporting Syria’s recovery and easing sanctions is essential to preventing the collapse of the state and the country’s return to chaos.

Among the anticipated moves, Syria will be reconnected to the SWIFT international financial transfer system in the coming weeks, a long-awaited step to end the banking isolation the country has suffered from throughout the war, according to the governor of the Central Bank of Syria.