Chicago – May 13, 2025
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump made a big announcement saying the U.S. will remove long-standing sanctions on Syria. This is a major step for Syria, a country that has been in a civil war for over ten years. The sanctions were first placed in 2004, and the U.S. had labeled Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. But now, with the support of Saudi Arabia, the sanctions will be lifted.
Trump made the announcement during his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he also secured a $600 billion investment deal from the country to help boost the U.S. economy. This includes a huge $142 billion arms deal, which is the largest defense agreement ever made by the U.S. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia also signed agreements in other areas like energy, defense, and mining. The deal involves many U.S. defense companies working on things like air defense, space technology, and maritime security.
During the visit, Trump also agreed to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa briefly. The lifting of sanctions is seen as a fresh start for Syria’s recovery after the long war. Trump mentioned that the decision was made after a request from Saudi Arabia’s leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This move is also aimed at strengthening ties between the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Israel, and working together to counter Iran.
Syrian officials called the announcement a “new start” for the country’s rebuilding efforts.
