U.S. President Donald Trump pledged support for Lebanon's stability efforts during Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's White House visit, marking the first visit by a Lebanese head of state in 17 years.
"We are going to solve a lot of problems. We've already solved some of them for Lebanon," Trump said in the Oval Office, adding that "there's a Hezbollah problem, but we've done some things that I think the world will take notice [of]."
The meeting occurred as Lebanon, with U.S. Mediation and Israeli cooperation, works to implement a framework designed to force the Iran-backed Hezbollah group out of Southern Lebanon. Israel began withdrawing from initial "pilot zones" On Monday, where the Lebanese Armed Forces are deploying to replace Hezbollah and restore government control ahead of broader Israeli withdrawals.
Trump indicated concrete plans for supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces. "We have some very concrete plans already in store," He said, "with others going in and helping. But they're also becoming much more self-sufficient, and we will be speaking about that."
Trump characterized Lebanon as historically "mistreated," While Aoun described the U.S.-backed framework as "a historic achievement." Aoun noted that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri supports the security framework.
On the issue of Lebanon's law criminalizing contact with Israelis, Trump said he would encourage its repeal as part of efforts to normalize relations with Israel and bring Lebanon into the Abraham Accords. "I think you're going to see a lot of countries joining pretty soon," Trump said regarding the normalization agreements reached during his first term.
Regarding Iran, Trump stated that Tehran "desperately" Wants to resume talks with Washington, despite continuing U.S. Military strikes following the breakdown of a June agreement between the two countries.