Top administration official blasts reports of internal dissension over Syria policy

There is “no daylight” among top administration officials on President Trump’s decision to lift economic sanctions on Syria, a top State Department official told The Washington Times after reports of dissension at the highest levels of U.S. foreign policy decision-making.

Michael Anton, director of the policy planning staff at the State Department, said in an interview late Wednesday that the key figures working on U.S.-Syria policy are aligned with the president’s policies. Mr. Anton specifically denied claims that he sought to slow-walk the president’s Syria policy and argued against Mr. Trump’s decision during a meeting Tuesday.

“This is a complete 180 of the truth,” Mr. Anton told The Times. “All of the people actually involved on the [Syria] file are totally aligned. If there is someone else who isn’t, I don’t know who they are. And I don’t think they have any influence.”

Mr. Anton was named in a social media post Wednesday by Josh Rogin, the lead global security analyst at The Washington Post. Mr. Rogin wrote: “Several sources tell me Michael Anton is working hard to slow down and thereby undermine President Trump’s announcement that the United States will lift all sanctions on Syria.”

A few hours later, Mr. Rogin said in another post that two senior State Department officials “categorically denied” those assertions. Mr. Rogin said he regretted not seeking a response from the State Department before his initial post.

Still, the allegations touched off a round of speculation about whether figures inside the federal government, perhaps at high levels, are working to undermine the president’s policies — in this case, the lifting of sanctions on the Syrian government, now led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a figure with past ties to the terrorist group al Qaeda.

During his Middle East trip last week, Mr. Trump announced that the U.S. would begin lifting economic sanctions on Damascus, some of which have been in place for decades. He met in Saudi Arabia with Mr. al-Sharaa, who led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham alliance that overthrew longtime Syrian dictator and Iranian ally Bashar Assad in a surprise offensive in December. 

After his meeting with Mr. al-Sharra, Mr. Trump told reporters he believes the new Syrian leader can unite and transform a country ravaged by more than a decade of civil war and Islamic extremism.

“Young attractive guy, tough guy. Strong past, very strong past. Fighter. He’s got a real shot at pulling it together,” Mr. Trump said of Mr. al-Sharaa.

Also as part of mending U.S.-Syria relations, Mr. Trump pressed the new Syrian leader to join the 2020 Abraham Accords and normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. He said he wants Mr. al-Sharaa to expel foreign terrorists, prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State terrorist network and take charge of extremist detention centers, according to a White House readout of the meeting.

The lifting of sanctions is considered necessary to usher in more foreign investment in the war-ravaged country. This week, the European Union said it also planned to lift its economic sanctions on Syria.

Lifting some U.S. sanctions would take an act of Congress, adding uncertainty to the time frame, but Mr. Anton said some steps can be taken quickly.

“I think certain waivers can be granted within days, a week at most,” Mr. Anton said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, was also in the Middle East last week and said he is “very inclined” to support sanctions relief for Syria “under the right conditions.”

“Waiving congressionally passed sanctions is a complicated process. While I would like to empower the new players in Syria, it has to be done in a coordinated fashion with our allies — especially our friends in Israel — so that numerous security concerns can be addressed,” Mr. Graham said in a statement. “Over the past decades, locations in Syria have been used to attack Israel.

“This newly formed government in Syria may be a good investment and could be the pathway to unifying Syria, making it a stable part of the region. However, there is a lot that must be learned before making that determination,” Mr. Graham said.