Shaheen, Warren and Wilson ask Trump administration to remove Syria from U.S. terror sponsor list

U.S. lawmakers have urged President Donald Trump’s administration to remove Syria from the government’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, calling the designation an outdated barrier to U.S. and congressional efforts to integrate Syria back into international engagement. The request, contained in a letter shared with The Hill, was sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).

The lawmakers said the time is right to lift Syria’s state sponsor of terrorism (SST) designation after the end of the Assad regime, which they described as occurring at the end of 2024. They pointed to the leadership of President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and the new Syrian government, arguing they have demonstrated continued commitment to counterterrorism operations within Syria since the fall of Assad.

In the letter, Shaheen, Warren and Wilson wrote, “Since the fall of the Assad regime, President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and the new Syrian government have demonstrated continued commitment to counterterrorism operations within Syria.” They added that “the grounds for the SST designation in U.S. law no longer apply and the listing remains a significant barrier to achieving the Administration and congressional priority of giving Syria a chance to succeed.”

The lawmakers framed the request as part of a broader effort that they said has included Congressional engagement with the new Syrian leadership, including seeking counter-terrorism cooperation in exchange for potential sanctions relief. The Hill reported the trio were at the forefront of that Congressional effort and that they have been pressing for commitments on counterterrorism cooperation while conditioning changes in U.S. policy on those obligations.

The letter also situates the request within the U.S. SST system, which the lawmakers described as a list of “pariah states” including Iran, North Korea and Cuba. Their argument is that removing Syria from the SST list would eliminate one of the remaining hurdles to Damascus fully rejoining the international community.

The Hill reported that lawmakers have tied the case for removal to steps they say the new Syrian government has taken to build ties with President Trump, with backing from powerful Gulf allies and Turkey. The lawmakers acknowledged in the letter that Syria “does need to make more progress in a variety of areas,” while saying the specific legal grounds for the SST designation are no longer present.

A decision on whether to remove Syria from the SST list is ultimately up to the Trump administration and the Department of State, and the lawmakers’ letter does not itself change Syria’s legal designation. Their request sets out the policy rationale they are pressing the administration to adopt, but implementation would require an official review under U.S. law and interagency process.

The letter’s emphasis on counterterrorism cooperation also indicates the standard Congress is using to evaluate changes in Syria’s status. If the administration proceeds with reconsideration, further public actions would be needed to update the designation and related sanctions policies that follow the SST label, while maintaining any agreed counterterrorism expectations discussed by the lawmakers.