US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that President Trump will inform Congress of his intention to remove Syria from the state sponsors of terrorism list, calling the move 'historic' and saying it opens economic opportunities. The statement follows the Trump administration's formal notification to Congress earlier Wednesday, as The Zioneer reported.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday evening that President Trump will notify Congress of his intention to remove Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, calling the move 'historic' and one that opens new economic opportunities. The statement, reported by N12, follows the Trump administration's formal notification to Congress earlier Wednesday, as The Zioneer reported in a series of updates.
Earlier Wednesday at 17:31 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported that President Trump said alongside Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara that Syria could help address Hezbollah and that he intended to remove Syria from the terror list, citing a Channel 12 report. Minutes later, a senior U.S. official told Reuters that the administration had notified congressional leaders of the decision, and that Trump had personally informed al-Shara. The notification triggers a mandatory 45-day congressional review period before the removal becomes final.
Rubio's confirmation adds the administration's most senior diplomatic voice to the announcement, framing the move as a 'historic' step that unlocks economic opportunities. The shift in U.S. policy toward the post-Assad government under al-Shara marks a significant departure from decades of sanctions and isolation.
What remains open: Congress has 45 days to review and potentially object to the removal. The specific scope of economic opportunities Rubio cited has not been detailed, and the administration has not outlined what conditions, if any, Syria must meet to maintain the new status.
6 developments
- StrongTrump to meet Syrian President al-Sharaa in Turkey this week
- StrongTrump says Syria 'would be happy' to handle Hezbollah, Lebanese president to visit Washington
- DevelopingTrump to submit Iran peace and nuclear deal to Congress, vows to destroy enriched uranium
- StrongReport: Trump administration presses Israel and Syria to resume security talks
Source and signal
- Internal intake