• The US has revoked the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation for Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
• This decision follows the recent ousting of former president Bashar al-Assad by HTS.
• Halting sanctions against Syria, the US aims to support the country's reconstruction efforts.
• President Trump expressed optimism about HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's potential to lead a new government.
• HTS's designation as a terrorist organization had been in place due to its prior affiliation with al-Qaeda.

The US government has officially revoked the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which had previously been linked to al-Qaeda and played a pivotal role in overhauling Syria's leadership by ousting Bashar al-Assad. The announcement came through a State Department memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and is scheduled to take effect following its publication on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, according to Reuters, aa, and trtglobal.

This revocation follows a wider strategy by the Trump administration to ease sanctions on Syria, aimed at allowing for the reconstruction of the war-torn nation after a decade of civil conflict. Trump had signed an executive order that formally ended multiple layers of US sanctions against Syria in late June, allowing for a potential reintegration into the global economy, as reported by Middle East Eye, Dawn, and BBC.

The designation removal is part of a strategic shift in the US's diplomatic relations with the Syrian interim government, now led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who aims to foster a stable and inclusive governance model, as highlighted by South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

Despite concerns regarding HTS's origins and past actions, the US government has emphasized the group's commitment to combating terrorism, which played a role in the decision to lift the designation. Secretary Rubio stated that this revocation aligns with President Trump's vision of a stable Syria and acknowledges the positive steps taken by the new administration, as noted in CBS News, Al Jazeera, and The Hill.