Congress Mulls Lifting Sanctions on Syrian Leader

Congress is weighing whether to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist seeking to legitimize himself on the world stage.

Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., is making clear he’s not eager to lift those sanctions on the newly minted leader, given the killings and clashes involving ethnic minorities that have occurred during his tenure.

“He was a thug six months ago,” Brecheen told The Daily Signal. “This Islamist, ISIS thug, he’s put ISIS leaders in his military, the same people that I’m convinced that are complicit in trying to exterminate these people.“

Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Al-Sharaa, also known by his nom du guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, was formerly a member of jihadist groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State of Iraq, and led the Al-Nusra Front. He took power in late 2024 after leading a coalition of armed groups in toppling longtime dictator Bashar Assad.

In recent months, reports have poured in of killings of civilians in Syrian sectarian clashes, many of them Druze, an ethno-religious minority.

Although the Syrian government has publicly pledged to stop the killings of ethnic minorities, the bloody clashes have continued, with hundreds killed in the southern district of Sweida in conflicts between the Sunni Bedouin tribes and the Druze people.

Currently, Syria is subject to strict American sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which came into effect during the Assad regime and was extended for five more years during the Biden administration. It was renewed for five more years shortly after Al-Sharaa took power in late 2024.
The act is named after a person identified only as “Caesar,” who documented torture of civilians by Assad’s regime.

Some in Congress are proposing repealing the sanctions in the upcoming annual defense bill. That push follows President Donald Trump signing an executive order in June to remove sanctions on Syria. 

The order proposed a hopeful, yet cautious treatment of the new Syrian leader, with a White House press release stating that “President Trump wants Syria to succeed—but not at the expense of U.S. interests.”

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., offered an amendment to the annual defense bill Wednesday before the House Rules Committee to repeal the Caesar Act completely.

“The Caesar law undermines the president’s policy and makes it almost impossible to, quote, ‘give Syria a chance,’ as proposed by President Trump,” said Wilson. 

Brecheen, however, says it would be difficult for him to embrace Al-Sharaa.

“The terrorist that is leading Syria now, six months ago, ISIS [and] al-Qaida is what he was wearing the uniform for,” Brecheen told The Daily Signal. “And so now, he’s put on a suit and Al-Sharaa Julani, he is now the leader of Syria.”

Brecheen added: “And many people—I’m one of them—believe that he is not just unable to control the jihadists that are part of his military structure. I’m one of those people that is convinced that he is complicit in the at least 2,000, 1,800, confirmed dead in what’s called the Sweida district.”

“As of last Wednesday, there were 20 members of Congress who obtained a briefing with some firsthand knowledge that there may be … 750,000 people [in] an arid region, they could be with within two weeks of having no water, because of the poisoning and bombing of wells. Again, they’re besieged, and the leader of Syria is complicit,” the Oklahoma Republican said.

French President Emmanuel Macron (center) welcomes Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Paris. (Telmo Pinto/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images)

Brecheen added, “No one sees the aggression because the world is not focused on what is the large-scale planned genocide of the Druze and Christians just an hour north to Israel’s borders.”

He added that Al-Sharaa must “hear a message, [because] he has a vote pending.” 

The Oklahoman said “there are members of Congress like myself that are saying the president of the United States gave you some time to prove that you want peace. And yet, I’m not convinced, and there are members of the Congress with me that fall in that same category.”

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