U.S. Envoy to Deliver Firm Message to Lebanon

By Samia Nakhoul, Humeyra Pamuk, and Maya Gebeily

(Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s envoy will communicate a critical stance to Lebanese leaders on Thursday: the U.S. will not tolerate the unrestrained influence of Hezbollah and its allies in forming a new government.

The message indicates that Lebanon faces further isolation and economic ruin unless it establishes a government committed to reforms, tackles corruption, and reduces the control of the Iranian-backed Shi’ite group. Sources from the U.S. administration, a Western diplomat, and regional government suggest this.

Led by Morgan Ortagus, deputy special envoy for the Middle East, the U.S. delegation will consult with newly-elected President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Salam has been tasked with forming a government, traditionally divided among Lebanon’s sectarian groups under a long-standing power-sharing system, for over three weeks. However, the U.S. aims to minimize Hezbollah’s influence in this context, especially following the group’s setbacks faced during last year’s conflict with Israel.

A senior U.S. official stated, “It’s important for us to set the tone for what we believe a new Lebanon should look like going forward,” clarifying that Washington is not selecting individual cabinet members but ensuring Hezbollah’s exclusion from the government. The official added that Hezbollah’s defeat should be mirrored in the new government’s formation.

Hezbollah and its Shi’ite coalition partner Amal, led by Berri, hold significant representation in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, which must vote to endorse any new government.

Salam has permitted Hezbollah to nominate four out of five Shi’ite ministers in the new cabinet, including finance minister, insisting on their veto power over the fifth minister’s appointment, per Lebanese political sources.

This development has thwarted speculation that Salam would announce the new government just before Ortagus’s arrival in Lebanon, as he left the presidential palace without addressing reporters.

David Schenker, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, remarked that meaningful reform cannot arise from figures linked to Amal. He emphasized that Lebanon must achieve genuine sovereignty free from corruption and traditional practices involving Hezbollah and Amal.

The ongoing influence of Hezbollah and Amal could hinder Lebanon’s access to crucial foreign financial support necessary for recovery from its financial crisis and substantial reconstruction costs from last year’s war, during which extensive Israeli airstrikes caused widespread destruction.

The Lebanese economy has been deteriorating for nearly five years, with the currency losing about 98% of its value, GDP falling by 40%, inflation reaching triple digits, and two-thirds of the central bank’s foreign currency reserves depleted, per the IMF.

Western calls for reforms in Lebanon resonate with regional countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, anticipated to contribute significantly in funding reconstruction efforts. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud emphasized the need for “real action and real reform” in Lebanon preceding any Saudi financial aid.

A Qatari government source noted, “Our message is unanimous with the international community; we’re ready to provide financial support and investments once reforms are in place.”