Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun meets Rubio ahead of Trump talks

What Happened

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, ahead of a scheduled Tuesday meeting with President Donald Trump. Aoun told Rubio that Lebanon and the US must work together to implement the US-backed agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel on June 26, starting with an initial Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, according to a post by the Lebanese presidency on X. Rubio praised the Lebanese government’s 'determined efforts to reclaim Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure and move towards peace,' per a US State Department statement. Aoun arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday for the visit—the first by a Lebanese head of state since 2009—and is expected to present Trump with a written proposal detailing how Hezbollah’s arsenal could be dismantled while securing Israel’s withdrawal under the brokered framework. Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations with Israel and efforts to disarm it, while Israel insists it will not fully withdraw unless Hezbollah is disarmed and demilitarised.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Aoun’s visit marks a pivotal diplomatic push by Lebanon’s new, US-backed leadership to break the deadlock between Israel and Hezbollah after the 2024 war. By directly engaging Washington and proposing a written disarmament plan, Aoun aims to leverage US pressure on Israel for withdrawal while confronting Hezbollah’s military autonomy—a defining challenge for Lebanese state sovereignty. The outcome could reshape Lebanon’s political order and influence the fragile ceasefire’s transition into a lasting arrangement, with implications for Iranian influence and regional stability.

Watch For

Aoun’s Tuesday meeting with President Trump, where he will present the disarmament proposal and seek US commitment to enforce Israeli withdrawal. Monitor Israel’s response to any concrete plan and whether the US signals a tougher stance on Hezbollah or pressures Israel on pullout timelines. Watch for potential escalation if Hezbollah rejects disarmament terms and Israel keeps troops in southern Lebanon; further US-mediated talks following the Rome discussions may set next steps.