President Donald Trump welcomed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the Oval Office on Tuesday for high-level discussions regarding regional stability, the war in the Middle East, and Lebanon's future. During the summit, Trump expressed optimism about expanding diplomatic ties across the region, predicting that more countries will soon join the historic Abraham Accords.
"I think Lebanon is a country that has suffered very bad treatment for a long time," Trump told reporters during the joint appearance. "There are amazing people there, and it has taken hard hits for many decades."
Trump signaled a strong commitment to aiding Beirut as it attempts to rebuild its economy and national stability. He emphasized that Washington has already taken steps to assist the nation and intends to deepen that support in the near future.
"We are going to solve a lot of problems," Trump said. "We have already solved some of them for Lebanon, as you probably know. There is still the problem of Hezbollah, but we have done some things regarding that which I think the world will notice."
Lebanese President Aoun indicated that his efforts to stabilize the country have broad internal backing, noting that Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri supports the ongoing measures. The summit underscored a shift toward aligning Beirut more closely with international diplomacy.
The conversation also turned to threats posed by the Houthi movement in Yemen, particularly regarding potential disruptions to international maritime trade. Following the recent lifting of the naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, concerns have risen over potential attempts to block the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.
"It has been a long time since there was a problem with the Houthis," Trump noted when asked about the situation. "We will have to see what happens if they close Bab al-Mandab. That hasn't happened yet, but we will have to see what we do if it happens."
Trump reiterated that the US remains committed to ensuring free navigation in international waters while helping regional partners secure their borders. He expressed confidence that ongoing diplomatic efforts with Lebanese leadership would yield historic results for the Middle East very soon.
