‘I think I will’: Trump hints at lifting Syria’s terror label, calls interim president ‘great job’
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday indicated that his administration could remove Syria from the US State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, as Washington continues efforts to rebuild ties with the country’s new leadership following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.Speaking to reporters after meeting Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the 2026 Nato Summit in Ankara, Trump was asked whether Syria would be taken off the decades-old terrorism list.“I think I will,” Trump replied.Praising al-Sharaa, the US President said, “Why wouldn’t I? He’s done a great job.”He also suggested that the move was under active consideration, adding, “Maybe he would have brought that up in a little while.. that’s a good question. Yeah, any problems with that? I think we should. Yeah, I will.”Syria has been designated by the US as a state sponsor of terrorism since December 1979. However, following the overthrow of Assad’s government in December 2024, lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties have called for the designation to be reviewed.Trump’s remarks come amid a broader shift in US policy towards Damascus. Last year, his administration revoked the foreign terrorist organisation designation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), also known as the al-Nusra Front, the group led by al-Sharaa that played a central role in toppling Assad.During the interaction, Trump also addressed the situation in southern Lebanon, expressing confidence that Israel would eventually pull back its forces.“I think they are going to. I think they want to,” he said, without specifying when such a withdrawal might take place.His comments echoed remarks made during last month’s G7 summit in France, where he suggested Syria could help contain Hezbollah.Referring to al-Sharaa, Trump had said, “He’ll do the job. Syria will do the job,” adding that Damascus could tackle the militant group if Israel “can’t do the job without killing everyone.”
