By Isabella Torregiani
3:33pm PDT, Jul 1, 2025
_
President
Donald Trump has officially lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria following a meeting with the country's new president,
Ahmed al-Shara — a former al Qaeda leader. Trump said the move is intended to give Syria a chance for "change" by reconnecting it to international banking and trade.
Keep reading for more on their deal…MORE:
Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news
_
On Monday, June 30, President Donald Trump gave formal approval to end the longstanding sanctions. The announcement was made during a press call by State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. "The interagency team, including the Departments of State, Treasury and Commerce, is actively executing the president's bold vision for a stable, secure and peaceful Syria," Bruce said.
_
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, now living in exile in Russia, will remain under U.S. sanctions. U.S. sanctions continue to target "[Assad's] associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates and Iranian proxies," she said.
_
President Donald Trump's decision came just one day before his meeting with Ahmed al-Shara — a choice that reportedly drew a standing ovation from several regional leaders. During the event, Trump praised al-Shara, calling him a "young, attractive" leader with the potential to rebuild Syria. He also claimed that the Syrian leader had agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties with Israel. "Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter," Trump said. "He's got a real shot at holding it together. I spoke with [Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, who is very friendly with him. … He feels he's got a shot of doing a good job. It's a torn-up country."
