US President Donald Trump hosted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House, addressing one of the region's most critical issues. During the meeting in the Oval Office, Aoun presented Trump with a plan that includes disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Trump said of Lebanon, "It's a place and a country that has been treated very badly. We'll make sure it gets the respect it deserves," and added, "There is a Hezbollah problem."
Aoun told Trump, "This will be your legacy. Together we can achieve this goal. The time has come for stability and security for Lebanon and the entire region." The visit also drew attention as Aoun was the first Lebanese president to visit the White House in nearly 20 years.
First Step of the Plan Taken
Just hours before Aoun's meeting with Trump, units of the Lebanese army began taking control of areas in the south vacated by Israeli forces. This operation is seen as the first implementation of the agreement reached on June 26 between Lebanon and Israel, mediated by the US. The agreement calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the laying of a foundation for peaceful relations between the two countries.
When Aoun arrived in Washington, he also met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and stated that Israel must begin withdrawing in accordance with the agreement.
Diplomacy in the Shadow of a New War
This diplomatic initiative took place in the shadow of a new war that broke out in the second year of Aoun's presidency. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 4,300 people have lost their lives in the clashes that began when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on March 2, including about 800 children, women, and healthcare workers. Hezbollah launched the attack in support of Iran, which had come under US and Israeli attack on February 28.
After the war began, Aoun called for direct negotiations with Israel, taking a historic step for his country, which has been repeatedly occupied since 1978. The call led to the highest-level face-to-face contacts between the two countries in decades but drew harsh criticism from Hezbollah and its supporters. Aoun criticized Hezbollah for starting the war, saying Lebanon was being destroyed for the sake of Iran.
From Military Past to Presidency
Aoun, 62 and a Maronite Christian, was elected president in accordance with Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. A career military officer who was wounded twice and still carries a shrapnel wound, Aoun rose amid shifting power dynamics following the devastating Israeli attack on Hezbollah in 2024 and the ouster of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
During his inauguration, Aoun pledged to emphasize "the state's monopoly on bearing arms," and his first year as president was marked by efforts to disarm Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Aoun's election also ended a two-year presidential vacuum that followed the expiry of the term of Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun (no relation) in 2022.
Maria Nica / Editor
