Lebanon's President Aoun meets Trump in the Oval Office, pressing for Israeli troop withdrawal from Lebanon

Summary

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met US President Donald Trump in the White House Oval Office on July 21, pressing for a full withdrawal of Israel Israeli forces from Lebanese territory they still occupy after the November 2024 ceasefire. The session was the centrepiece of Aoun's Washington visit, which began on July 18. Lebanon's core demand, restoring Lebanese sovereignty in the south, has been held up by Israel's refusal to vacate positions it says are needed for security; Aoun brought the file directly to Trump, United States the chief broker of the ceasefire.

Why it matters

Lebanon's government has been unable to enforce its sovereignty in the south without US pressure on Israel. The Oval Office meeting elevates the withdrawal demand from a technical ceasefire dispute to a head-of-state political ask, testing whether Trump is willing to push Israel on a commitment it has deferred since the ceasefire took hold.

What to watch

• Whether Trump publicly endorses a timeline for Israeli withdrawal after the meeting
• Israel's response to any US pressure following the Aoun-Trump talks
• Progress on deploying the Lebanese army to territory vacated by Israeli forces