President Donald Trump terminated nearly all U.S. sanctions against Syria in a Monday executive order, “Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions.” The U.S. sanctions punished the late Assad regime for human rights abuses and harboring terrorists, but Trump has expressed hope that the new regime will require no sanctions. “A united Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organizations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity,” Trump wrote. The Trump administration would be wise to remain vigilant.

The White House order revokes six previous executive orders targeting Syria with sanctions in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2011 (three times). It directed the State Department to un-classify Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism,and to de-list Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a foreign terrorist organization and interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as a specially designated global terrorist.

In compliance with Trump’s order, the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday began to disassemble all sanctions against Syria, except the sanctions targeting individuals within the Assad regime, which remain in effect.

“The Order removes sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS or its affiliates, and Iranian proxies,” a White House fact sheet explained. “U.S. sanctions were imposed in response to the Assad regime’s brutal actions against the Syrian people and their direct support for terrorism in the region.”

“Recent positive changes and actions taken by the Government of Syria, after the fall of the brutal Assad Regime, demonstrate promise for a stable and peaceful future,” the fact sheet added.

Among these positive actions are the diplomatic overtures the new Syrian government has made with Israel, beginning in April. As of Monday, Israel and Syria are holding “advanced talks” on a bilateral security agreement that could end hostilities between the two countries, a senior Israeli official said. “For now, there isn’t anything concrete, the official said, but “there is absolutely an aspiration to expand the Abraham Accords.”

In recognition of the Syrian government’s apparent efforts to turn over a new leaf, Trump announced on May 13 that he would lift the sanctions to “give them a chance at greatness,” the fact sheet added. Said Trump, “The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really an important function — nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine … So, I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.” The Treasury Department followed up this promissory message by issuing exemptions to the Syrian tariffs, including transactions with the interim government.

Yet any analysis of Syrian affairs must account for its diverse and varied interests; ever since the civil war began in 2011, Syria’s territory had been controlled by at least three large factions, in addition to outposts of Turkey and the U.S. and, for a brief span, territory seized by ISIS. In December 2024, an Islamist faction based in northwest Syria toppled the Assad regime and took control of Damascus, the capital.

That leaves an autonomous administration over the Kurdish region in northern and eastern Syria. This government provides the greatest degree of popular representation, religious toleration, and respect for human rights that any area has seen for a long time. But, as a separate, minority region formerly at odds with the HTS Islamist faction, it remains to be seen whether northeastern Syria can be united with the rest of the country in a way that benefits everyone.

At least for now, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), which administers the northeastern territory, has expressed cautious optimism about Trump’s decision to lift sanctions. In May, the SDC said Trump’s announcement of sanctions relief “carries positive indicators that directly benefit the Syrian people.”

This mainly reflects the fact that the economic suffering wrought by U.S. sanctions — which can cut a country off from global financial markets, capital investment, currency exchange, and trade — is so severe that any government concerned with the welfare of its people would welcome the removal of the sanctions in any context. The SDC already received partial sanctions relief for humanitarian work and infrastructure projects in 2021 and 2022.

In part, however, the SDC also hoped that the lifted sanctions would lead to a “political solution” that would unify Syria and guarantee the safety of its people.

For their part, the new regime in Damascus — officially known as the Syrian Transitional Government (STG) — also welcomed the lifting of sanctions, with its incumbent economic benefits. “This decision is fair to the Syrian people,” said Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar.

Yet there remain some reasons for concern with the new Syrian regime. The new Syrian army appointed a Turkey-affiliated warlord to cover regions primarily controlled by the northeast Syrian government. Additionally, a suicide bombing in a Damascus church last month killed 22 people and wounded over 50. Although the attacker was reportedly affiliated with ISIS, which has also attacked the new government, Open Doors notes that the attack underscored the vulnerability Christians feel. “Christians are receiving daily threats [from] fundamentalists that they will be next,” said a local partner.

The Trump administration has gone ahead with the planned removal of sanctions on Syria despite these concerns. This gives the new regime a clean slate, notwithstanding the past connections with Islamist terrorism of its major figures.

Trump is banking on the hope that the new government is more interested in stabilizing the country it now governs than in pursuing intermittent terrorism, according to the White House fact sheet. He aims to broadcast a message around the world that, “if you want to take meaningful steps towards peace and stability, then the United States is willing to move rapidly to support you.” While Trump prefers negotiating with a big stick, this appears to be one time he has chosen to offer a carrot instead.

There is also reason to hope that the Trump administration has not naively embraced a jihadist regime. “President Trump wants Syria to succeed — but not at the expense of U.S. interests,” the fact sheet continued. “While seeking to reengage constructively, this Administration will continue to guard against all threats and monitor progress on key priorities: taking concrete steps toward normalizing ties with Israel, addressing foreign terrorists, deporting Palestinian terrorists and banning Palestinian terrorist groups, helping the United States prevent a resurgence of ISIS, and assuming responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria.”

By removing the Assad-era sanctions, the Trump administration frees up more cards to play against the new Syrian regime. If all financial commerce with the West was prohibited, the regime would be forced into back channels with America’s adversaries. By lifting the sanctions, the Trump administration has given Damascus something to lose if they misbehave. In other words, Trump could always reimpose sanctions if the Syrian government turns to terrorism or religious oppression.

It may not come to that; the best-case scenario, and the one the Trump administration is hoping for, is one in which the Syrian regime would rather become a prospering economy with regional influence, rather than another pariah state like the Assad regime it replaced.