Trump moves to delist Syria as terror sponsor
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Donald Trump met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkiye on 9 July 2026
- Trump announced he will remove Syria from the US state sponsor of terrorism list
- The removal becomes official in 45 days unless Congress blocks the decision
- The meeting and announcement took place on the margins of the NATO Ankara summit, where Syria policy is a live item alongside other alliance business
Why it matters: The 45-day clock puts Congress on a short leash to block the delisting before it becomes final — a procedural checkpoint that means lawmakers, not just the White House, will determine whether Syria exits the terror sponsor regime. A successful removal would unwind decades of US sanctions architecture tied to that designation, though the article does not specify which measures would change.
