The Trump administration announced the removal of Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation it had held since 1979. This decision, which was initially signaled in July, is expected to serve as a catalyst for private sector investment and economic reintegration in Syria. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that this move is a recognition of the Syrian government's efforts to distance itself from international terrorism. The new president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant with ties to al-Qaeda, has been embraced by the Trump administration. His Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was also removed from the US list of global terrorist organizations. HTS, previously known as al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, severed ties with the jihadist network in 2016. In late 2024, HTS led the rebel offensive that overthrew former president Bashar al-Assad and now dominates Sharaa's transitional administration. The US hopes to bring Syria into its orbit rather than that of Russia or China, but significant risks remain due to ongoing instability, lack of a representative government, and escalating tensions between Syria's neighbors Israel and Turkey. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, commented that this action will promote political and economic stability in Syria. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani welcomed the decision as a "historic step," expressing intentions to eliminate the effects of isolation and create a transparent environment for mutual interests and respect. Last year, the US also revoked HTS's designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and removed Sharaa from its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. With Syria's removal, only three countries remain on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism: Cuba, North Korea, and Iran. The listing comes with financial sanctions, restrictions on US foreign aid and defense exports, as well as penalties for people and other countries trading with the sanctioned state.