US Representative Joe Wilson has urged the State Department to lift Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) designation and downgrade its travel advisory, citing the country's progress toward peace.
"In a very short period of time, Syria has taken historic steps toward peace and prosperity, working with the United States to implement President Trump's regional agenda and countering terrorism," Wilson, a Republican from the state of South Carolina and member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, wrote on X.
He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had "correctly identified that Syria is meeting & exceeding all requirements," and Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism "must be lifted."
Wilson also urged the agency to lower its travel advisory for Syria "to reflect the current reality," arguing that the move would encourage stabilising investment and tourism.
"Give Syria a chance," he wrote.
Revision of legal criteria
The comments come as the Trump administration continues reviewing whether to remove Syria from the terrorism list following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the establishment of a new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
A State Department official told Anadolu agency that the "review is ongoing and in compliance with the applicable laws and criteria established by Congress."
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, refused to provide a timeline.
"There are a number of steps that would need to be taken by both the Department and the President before the SST designation could be removed," said the official.
Syria has held the designation since 1979 — a status shared only with Cuba, North Korea and Iran — and the label carries sweeping restrictions on security assistance, financial transactions and foreign investment.
Al Sharaa visited the White House in November, the first visit by a Syrian head of state since that country's independence in 1946, and had previously met Trump in Riyadh in May 2025, shortly before Washington lifted the Caesar sanctions.
Shortly after Sharaa's White House visit, Syria joined the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh as its 90th member, signing a "political cooperation declaration" with the coalition.
The SST designation, however, has remained in place.
