[Want even more content from FPM? Sign up for FPM+ to unlock exclusive series, virtual town-halls with our authors, and more—now for just $3.99/month. Click here to sign up.]

They blew up civilians. They crucified Christians. They ran suicide bombers into marketplaces. They enforced Sharia with amputations and public executions.

And now, they’re off the U.S. terror list.

On July 7, 2025, the State Department officially revoked the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation of al-Nusrah Front—the former al-Qaeda franchise in Syria—and its successor Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). This wasn’t a court ruling. It wasn’t a mistake. It was signed, stamped, and filed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

This is legitimizing jihad with a diplomatic handshake.

Who Are al-Nusrah and HTS?

The group known as Al-Nusra Front or Jabhat al-Nusra or Jabhat Nusrat Ahl al-Sham was born in 2012 during the chaos of the Syrian civil war. Its founder, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, was a loyal lieutenant of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)—and an early student of Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s successor.

From the beginning, al-Nusrah’s mission was clear: Establish an Islamic emirate in Syria, governed by Sharia and enforced through jihad. That included:

By 2013, the group had become al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria.

Then Came the PR Makeover.

In 2016, they rebranded as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Then they merged into Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The ideology stayed the same.

The leaders remained the same. The only thing that changed was the font on their flags.

But it didn’t matter. Because soon, they were rewarded.

That’s When America Folded

First came the handshake. In May 2025, HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani—now the de facto leader of Syria—was photographed shaking hands with President Trump during a visit to the Middle East. No denials. No walk-backs. The photo was real. The gesture was intentional.

Then came the green light. In the weeks following that meeting, the Trump administration lifted all remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria. There was no demand for democratic reform. No requirement to dismantle Sharia courts. No accountability for over a decade of jihadist violence.

And finally, the reward.

On July 7, 2025, the U.S. State Department revoked their designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
No press release. No hearing. Just a quiet entry in the Federal Register.

“I hereby revoke the designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (and other aliases) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization…”

– Federal Register, Public Notice 12762, signed June 23, 2025

And it was signed, stamped, and filed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Let’s be clear:

HTS was designated as a terrorist group on May 15, 2012, for its ties to al-Qaeda, its mass-casualty attacks, and its public enforcement of Sharia.

Nothing has changed, except our foreign policy. Did al-Nusrah fighters disband or renounce jihad? No. The same fighters, same leadership, and same ideology continued under different names. Did their founder, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, step down or change beliefs?

No. He’s Still the Leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.

Did the group stop enforcing Sharia or commit to peace? No.

HTS continues to:

Did they reform? Absolutely not. They claim to be “reformist” only because it helps them survive. But their core belief remains:

Sharia must govern, jihad is the method, and the West is the enemy.

They still operate under Sharia principles, religious conformity, and executions for “blasphemy.” Their top clerics still preach about killing apostates and fighting the West. Their media arm still glorifies martyrs and jihad.

So why is the U.S. legitimizing them? Because Washington doesn’t punish ideologies. It rewards convenience.

HTS fights Assad. HTS is anti-Iran. HTS keeps parts of Syria “stabilized” enough for other actors to move. So now they’re “our terrorists.” Just like the Taliban. Just like the Mujahideen.

The American pattern repeats, and innocent people will pay the price.

We don’t need Washington handing power to those who kill for Allah and call it foreign policy. We the People need God, and they need an exorcism.

This isn’t peace.

It’s a payoff.

And the jihadists just cashed the check.