Trump denies asking Israel to recognise Syria’s leadership, defends sanctions relief

US President Donald Trump has denied that he urged Israel to recognise Syria’s new leadership, amid a broader shift in Washington’s policy toward Damascus that includes plans to lift long-standing sanctions.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on his return flight from the United Arab Emirates to the United States, Trump addressed the issue following a journalist’s question, according to a White House press pool broadcast cited by Israeli media.

“I did not ask them [Israel’s leaders] to do that,” Trump said, referring to any request for Israel to normalise ties or officially recognise the new leadership in Syria.

The president also clarified that the US decision to ease sanctions on Syria was not meant to signal any diplomatic direction to Israel. “It’s just the thing that we thought was the right thing to do,” he said, explaining the rationale behind the move.

The United States is preparing to implement partial sanctions relief for Syria in the coming weeks, after Trump’s unexpected announcement that all US sanctions on Damascus would be lifted. The decision, which reportedly surprised many within the administration, has prompted urgent efforts by the Treasury and State Departments to determine the practical steps for unwinding the sanctions regime.

On May 15, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the administration intends to use waiver authorities under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act to begin easing sanctions. The act, which had imposed sweeping restrictions on Bashar al-Assad’s regime and targeted any entities engaging with Damascus, has been a cornerstone of US policy toward Syria since its implementation.

Rubio, speaking to reporters in Antalya, Türkiye, said the administration’s goal is to support the emergence of a “peaceful, stable Syria” after more than a decade of civil war. He noted that both Republican and Democratic lawmakers had appealed to the administration to utilise the waiver provisions to allow for greater humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts.

An unnamed senior administration official told media outlets that the Treasury Department is expected to issue “general licenses covering a broad range of the economy that is critical to rebuilding” in the coming weeks.

Lifting the sanctions, which have significantly restricted Syria’s access to the global financial system, could pave the way for expanded humanitarian engagement, foreign investment, and trade. It is also expected to facilitate Syria’s long-delayed reconstruction process.

Trump defended the broader policy shift, stating that the sanctions had achieved their intended goals and that “now it was time for Syria to move forward.”

By Tamilla Hasanova