U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson praised the transformation underway in Syria in a statement to Al-Modon, saying that Syria’s positive presence on the international stage mattered greatly to Syrians and to Syrian-Americans.
Mr Wilson was commenting on President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s visit to New York to attend the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, his third visit to the United States since taking office.
He affirmed U.S. support for President Sharaa’s efforts to reconnect Syria with the world and to promote peace and prosperity.
Syria Regains Its International Presence
“It is extremely important for Syrians and Syrian-Americans to see their country, once a pariah because of the former regime, represented positively on the world stage,” Mr Wilson said. He added: “President Sharaa is helping reconnect Syria with the world, and America supports his efforts to promote peace and prosperity.”
In New York, President Sharaa is holding four days of high-level meetings with leaders and diplomats on the sidelines of the General Assembly, most notably an expected meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
A Supportive Voice for Syria in Congress
In recent months, Mr Wilson has backed improved U.S. relations with Syria and pushed Washington to ease economic and political restrictions on the country, while also calling for Syria’s stability to be protected and for an end to airstrikes on Syrian territory.
In his latest statement, Mr Wilson called for a halt to Israeli airstrikes on Syria, saying that they undermined the stabilisation process Washington sought to support.
In a series of posts on X, he said he appreciated U.S. Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack’s opposition to the strikes. Asked whether he was explicitly calling for them to stop, he replied: “Absolutely.”
Mr Wilson linked this position to the need to give Syria a chance to consolidate stability, peace and prosperity, arguing that the success of this process would benefit not only Syria but the wider region.
His efforts have not been limited to political statements. Over the past period, he has worked within Congress to remove legal and economic obstacles to Syria’s opening to the world.
In June, Mr Wilson called on the U.S. Department of State to remove Syria’s designation as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” and to lower the U.S. travel advisory for the country, arguing that developments in Syria warranted a review of U.S. policy to reflect the new reality.
He said that, in his assessment, Syria had taken historic steps towards peace and prosperity and had cooperated with the United States on the regional agenda and counterterrorism.
Mr Wilson also acted on sanctions. In 2025, he introduced an amendment in Congress to repeal the Caesar Act, saying it was time to give Syria a chance.
The Caesar Act was repealed in December 2025 as part of the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
