Washington, July 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump hosted Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun at the White House and pledged support for Beirut, while US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put the cost of the war in Iran at $37.5 billion.
During the meeting in Washington, Lebanese President Aoun primarily asked for support for the Lebanese government forces. According to Deutschlandfunk, it was the first visit by a Lebanese head of government to the White House since 2009. Aoun reportedly warned that without this support, his country could slip into a new civil war: „Andernfalls könnte sein Land in einen neuen Bürgerkrieg geraten".
Trump assured Lebanon of help but remained vague. He did not, however, name any concrete measures. In Washington, Trump said the country had been treated poorly over a long period and must in future receive the respect it deserved. Observers interpreted the symbolic gesture as a signal to the Lebanese leadership, but also as an attempt to maintain pressure on the Hezbollah militia.
Background: US-Brokered Agreement Between Israel and Lebanon
The backdrop to the meeting is a US-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon. As part of it, the Lebanese armed forces are to take over control again, while Israeli troops withdraw. In southern Lebanon, a military operation to disarm the Hezbollah militia is currently underway in several towns. Aoun plans to present a plan for disarming Hezbollah soon.