US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he intends to strip Syria of its state sponsor of terrorism designation after talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, saying the former jihadist leader has 'done a great job' since taking power. Asked whether he would officially scrap Syria's terror label, Trump confirmed the move and linked it directly to al-Sharaa's recent performance in office. 'I think I will. Why wouldn't I? He's done a great job,' Trump told reporters. 'Yeah, I will.'
The news came after months of a broader strategic pivot by the Trump administration to engage the government in Damascus and help al-Sharaa court international support to rebuild a nation shattered by a civil war. The Syrian leader is a former jihadist who seized power from Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and once carried a £7.47 million ($10 million) US bounty on his head.
