Trump Ends Syria Sanctions, Starts New Chapter Without Assad
President Donald Trump just flipped the script on two decades of US policy toward Syria. In a surprise move, he signed an executive order ending the general sanctions program on the country, effectively opening the door to a post-Assad era in Damascus. The new Syrian government, led by technocrat Ahmed al‑Sharaa, is being treated by Washington as a clean slate—at least for now. But, as The Media Line’s Rizik Alibi reports, not everyone is ready to celebrate.
The sanctions rollback comes with caveats. Restrictions still apply to anyone tied to terrorism, drug trafficking, war crimes, or chemical weapons. Assad and his inner circle remain blacklisted. But the message is clear: the US is ready to do business with a Syria that has moved on from dictatorship—if it can prove it’s actually changed.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
The Syrian government is calling this a turning point. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani hailed it as the start of a new era of “prosperity and stability.” Some Syrians agree. “If lifting sanctions means we can eat and drink without humiliation, that’s enough,” said one Damascus resident. But others aren’t buying it. “Where is the accountability? Where is the justice?” asked a displaced man from Aleppo.
Back in Washington, the backlash is already bubbling. Lawmakers and human rights groups are pressing for safeguards to ensure that the same corrupt networks don’t just rebrand and resume business as usual. The stakes are high, and the outcome is anything but guaranteed.
Rizik Alibi walks readers through this dramatic policy shift, its risks, and its uncertain promise. If you want to know where Syria—and US foreign policy—goes from here, this one’s worth your time.
