Trump: US open to talks with Hezbollah
Shafaq News- Washington
US President Donald Trump pledged to help resolve Lebanon’s challenges and expand assistance and broad support for Lebanon during a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, media outlets reported on Tuesday.
Trump said the two sides held productive talks and that the United States would solve “a lot of the problems” facing Lebanon, adding that some issues had already been resolved.
Describing Aoun as a figure who could become one of the most important leaders in the Middle East, he noted that Lebanon had been mistreated for a long time, adding, “We’re going to have it properly treated with the respect that it deserves.”
Asked whether he would engage with Hezbollah, Trump replied, "If the Lebanese president wants me to talk to the group, I will do it."
The US president also said Washington would hold talks on expanding the Lebanese Army's control over villages vacated by Hezbollah and address issues related to the pilot phase of the proposed pilotzone in southern Lebanon. Trump added that Syrian transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa wants to play a role regarding Hezbollah, saying he believes such efforts would be effective.
For his part, Aoun said the ultimate goal is to “end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel forever.” He thanked Trump for the "historic achievements" the both sides had accomplished together and said the time had come to realize Trump's vision of bringing peace to the region.
He praised the Lebanese Army, indicating that he had asked Trump to provide political support for Lebanon.
وصول رئيس الجمهورية العماد جوزاف عون إلى البيت الأبيض للقاء الرئيس الأميركي دونالد ترامب pic.twitter.com/7xmcuPUXZt
— Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) July 21, 2026
Earlier this week, Aoun and Rubio discussed implementing the trilateral framework agreement between the United States, Lebanon, and Israel during talks in Washington. Rubio reaffirmed US support for the deal, praised Beirut's efforts to restore state sovereignty and disarm Hezbollah.
