U.S. backs repeal of Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, urges Congress to act

The Trump administration has announced its support for repealing the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria and called on U.S. lawmakers to include the move in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) currently being debated in Congress.

“The administration supports repealing the Caesar Act. Congress should include the repeal in the NDAA,” a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu, adding that ending the sanctions would help “preserve the integrity of our primary objective – the enduring defeat of ISIS – and give the people of Syria a chance for a better future.”

The spokesperson said the U.S. remains in contact with regional partners and “welcomes any investment or engagement in Syria that supports the chance for all Syrians to have a peaceful and prosperous country.”

The statement follows President Donald Trump’s May 2025 announcement to lift most U.S. sanctions on Syria after his meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia — the first encounter between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years. At the time, Trump described the sanctions as “brutal and crippling,” saying their removal would “give Syria a chance at greatness.”

On 30 June, Trump signed an executive order ending most U.S. sanctions, though the Caesar Act — passed in 2019 — technically remains in effect. Syria’s new leadership has called the act a major obstacle to the country’s recovery after nearly 14 years of civil war.

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