Speaking to reporters after meeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Türkiye, Trump was asked whether he intended to remove Syria from the US terrorism sponsor list. He replied, "I think I will."

The United States has already announced that it is reviewing Syria s designation, which currently imposes restrictions on US foreign assistance, defense exports, and certain financial transactions.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order ending a major US sanctions program on Syria. The move was aimed at reintegrating the war-torn country into the international financial system and supporting its reconstruction after years of devastating civil war.

Reports suggest that several Saudi companies are planning billion-dollar investments in Syria, while other Gulf states have also pledged financial assistance to help revive the country s economy.

Washington has also lifted most of its sanctions on Syria and repealed the Caesar Act, which had imposed sweeping sanctions on former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his associates, institutions, and affiliated companies.

However, US officials said sanctions would remain in place against Bashar al-Assad, his close allies, alleged human rights violators, and individuals accused of destabilizing the region.

Trump also praised Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying, "He s respected by everybody, including me."

Al-Sharaa previously served as a commander of Jabhat al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda-linked group, before severing ties with the organization in 2016.

He later led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions that overthrew Bashar al-Assad s government in late 2024. Trump said al-Sharaa had also played an important role in operations against the Islamic State (ISIS) in the region.