Trump signals removing Syria from US terrorism list, praises al Sharaa

US President Donald Trump has said he is likely to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, praising Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa for the progress in stabilising and unifying the country.

“I think I will. Why wouldn’t I?” Trump said on Wednesday when asked whether Washington would remove Syria from the terrorism list.

His remarks came during a meeting with al Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Trump said the Syrian leader had done “a great job,” adding: “That’s a good question. Yeah, I will.”

“Syria has become very stable,” Trump said. “It’s really been stabilised, and we’re proud of that.”

Praise for Syrian leadership

Trump offered strong praise for al Sharaa, crediting him with bringing the country together in a short period of time.

“He’s done a really fantastic job as president. He’s unified the country in a very short period of time,” Trump said, describing him as a “strong person” who is “respected by everybody.”

Reflecting on Syria’s transition, Trump said the country had initially been a “real mess” and a “very disjointed place” before the new administration brought it together.

“We released sanctions from the country, which really, I think, was a big boost,” Trump said. “We’re proud of the job he’s doing.”

Major achievement