The Trump administration has informed Congress that it intends to proceed with planning for a potential reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, according to a State Department notification sent to congressional committees on Feb. 10. The embassy was shuttered in 2012 during Syria’s civil war.
The administration has pursued the initiative since longtime strongman Bashar Assad was ousted in December 2024, with the effort serving as a priority for President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack.
The embassy reopening reflects the Trump administration’s effort to normalize relations with Syria’s new government and incorporate the country into regional and international communities, following Assad’s December 2024 ouster.
Planning Phase
The State Department intends a “phased approach” to potentially resume embassy operations in Syria, according to the Feb. 10 notification. Spending on planning would begin by the end of February, though no timeline was offered for when the plans would be complete or when U.S. personnel might return to Damascus on a full-time basis. The embassy reopening plans are classified, and the State Department declined to comment beyond confirming that the congressional notification was sent.
Barrack’s Diplomatic Momentum
Barrack has pushed for a deep rapprochement with Syria’s new leadership under Ahmad al-Sharaa and successfully advocated for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria. In May, Barrack visited Damascus and raised the U.S. flag at the embassy compound, though the embassy was not yet reopened.
Trump said Friday that al-Sharaa was “doing a phenomenal job” as president. “He’s a rough guy. He’s not a choir boy. A choir boy couldn’t do it,” Trump said. “But Syria’s coming together.”
Regional Security Engagement
On the same day the congressional notification was sent, Barrack lauded Syria’s decision to participate in the coalition combating the Islamic State militant group, even as the U.S. military has withdrawn from a small but important base in the southeast and significant issues remain between the government and the Kurdish minority.
“Regional solutions, shared responsibility. Syria’s participation in the D-ISIS Coalition meeting in Riyadh marks a new chapter in collective security,” Barrack said.
Parallels in Latin America
The State Department has taken a similar phased approach in plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, following the U.S. military operation that ousted former President Nicolás Maduro in January. That reopening involves the deployment of temporary staffers living in interim facilities.