Trump says US working to resolve Hezbollah issue, signals support for Lebanese Army

U.S. President Donald Trump described the Lebanese people as "wonderful" and said he has relatives who lived in Lebanon and refused to leave, as he met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Trump also praised the American people as “smart and successful” and addressed the situation in Lebanon, saying Hezbollah remained an issue that Washington was working to resolve.

“Hezbollah is a problem we are working on solving, and we will treat Lebanon with respect,” Trump said.

Trump said Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri would be satisfied when he sees the progress being made on the ground, adding that the Israeli army was in the process of withdrawing from South Lebanon.

He also said he would review issues related to the pilot phase of the proposed safe-zone project in Lebanon, and added that if President Aoun wanted him to communicate with Hezbollah, he would do so.

For his part, President Joseph Aoun said the time had come for Lebanon to enjoy peace, adding that “together we can achieve that.”

Aoun thanked Trump for his role in helping reach what he described as a “historic” agreement, and said he had requested U.S. support for the Lebanese Army alongside political backing.

“The army is capable of protecting Lebanon,” Aoun said, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the country’s military capabilities to preserve security and stability.