Trump notifies Congress of plan to drop Syria from list

President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of his administration's intent to remove Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, a major policy shift that could end decades of economic isolation for the war-torn nation. The announcement follows a meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the president had initiated a mandatory 45-day pre-notification period with Congress. Rubio stated that lifting the designation would unlock international trade and investment, giving Syria a chance to rebuild. He cited positive changes and counterterrorism actions taken by the Syrian government, along with formal assurances from al-Sharaa that Syria will not support acts of international terrorism.

The decision builds on recent moves to dismantle U.S. sanctions on Syria. Last month, Trump signed an executive order terminating a major U.S. sanctions program, and Congress last year repealed the Caesar Act sanctions. Officials say remaining sanctions will continue to target former President Bashar al-Assad, his associates, and alleged human rights abusers.