Aoun meets Trump, urges full Israeli withdrawal

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to press for a complete Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon and secure American support for his government. The meeting, Aoun's first face-to-face talks with Trump, focused on implementing a U.S.-brokered framework agreement intended to disarm the militant group Hezbollah and end the Israeli occupation.

During their Oval Office meeting, President Trump acknowledged that Lebanon had been "badly treated" for decades and pledged U.S. assistance. He stated that the United States would help ensure the country is "properly treated" and receives the respect it deserves. However, Trump did not announce a specific timeline for an Israeli withdrawal, saying only that Israel was "in the process of redeploying to other sections."

For his part, President Aoun emphasized the urgent need for a full Israeli pullout from Lebanese territories, calling it an essential step for stability. He praised the framework agreement signed on June 26, which aims to disarm Hezbollah, facilitate a phased Israeli troop withdrawal, and establish peaceful relations between Lebanon and...