PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump announced the cessation of sanctions against Syria at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, aiming to normalize relations with the regime led by former al-Qaeda operative Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa and stabilize the war-torn nation.
👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Syria’s leader Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, a.k.a. Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
📍 Where & When: Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025.
💬 Key Quote: “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump declared.
⚠️ Impact: Trump’s move could help stabilize Syria and pave the way for migrant returns. Engaging with al-Sharaa’s controversial regime risks backlash over minority persecutions, but could create diplomatic leverage that the administration can leverage to protect minorities.
IN FULL:
President Donald J. Trump has announced he “will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness” at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum. The America First leader said Syria had “seen so much misery and death” over its years of civil war, and that he hoped the new regime would “hopefully succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace.”
“[T]hey’ve had their share of travesty, war, killing [for] many years,” Trump remarked on Tuesday, saying his administration had already taken steps towards normalizing relations with the country. He revealed that the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed Bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had played a significant role in persuading him to make these moves.
“Oh, the things I do for the Crown Prince,” Trump joked after the sanctions announcement was met with sustained cheers.
The decision to normalize relations with Syria, now led by former al-Qaeda operative and wanted terrorist Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, a.k.a. Abu Mohammad al-Julani, will prove controversial, given his track record and reports of atrocities against Syria’s Alawite and Christian minorities under his leadership.
However, the reality on the ground is that al-Sharaa is in complete control of the country’s capital and heartlands, and he is already being welcomed on official visits by other countries, such as France. Officially recognizing al-Sharaa’s government may give the Trump administration more leverage to persuade al-Sharaa’s regime not to persecute minorities, and make it possible to return tens of thousands of Syrian migrants to their homeland.
Earlier in his visit, President Trump announced he had secured $600 billion in Saudi investments.
WATCH:
🚨 @POTUS: “After discussing the situation in Syria with the Crown Prince and also with President Erdogan of Turkey… among others in the Middle East, I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria, in order to give them a chance at greatness.” pic.twitter.com/JG3gx3Nn6D
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 13, 2025