Overview
- Days before the trip, Washington removed Ahmed al‑Sharaa from its terrorism blacklist after progress on missing Americans and chemical weapons, and the U.N. Security Council lifted sanctions on him and other officials.
- AP reported the visit welcomes Syria into the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, while U.S. officials said an agreement to join could be signed during the trip.
- A senior official told Fox News the administration will announce a 180‑day suspension of the Caesar Act and new compliance guidance, but a permanent repeal still requires Congress, where competing proposals from Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Lindsey Graham are in play.
- Reuters and other outlets reported U.S. plans for a coordination presence at a Damascus airbase to manage humanitarian aid and monitor developments between Syria and Israel.
- Seeking reconstruction funds estimated by the World Bank at about $216 billion, al‑Sharaa faces scrutiny over rights and minority protections after reports of new sectarian violence since Assad’s fall.