Trump Gives Lebanon $230 Million in Security Assistance Amid Hezbollah’s Disarmament Drive
The Trump administration has approved $230 million for Lebanon’s security forces to support government authority and compel Hezbollah to disband.
As part of efforts to strengthen state institutions and reduce the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, the Trump administration has approved $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces, according to sources in Washington and Beirut this week.
The package includes $190 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and $40 million for the Internal Security Forces (ISF), according to a Lebanese source with knowledge of the decision. The funds were made available just before the fiscal year closed on September 30 in Washington.
Speaking anonymously, a congressional aide for the Democratic Party said, “That’s really, really significant for a small country like Lebanon.”
Given that the Trump administration has cut funding for many foreign aid programs under its “America First” philosophy, the decision to prioritize Lebanon is significant. Officials said the announcement showed Washington’s focus on regional stability despite the current fighting in Gaza and broader Middle East issues.
US aid is provided to Lebanese security institutions “as they work to assert Lebanese sovereignty across the country and fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the only viable framework for a durable security arrangement for both Lebanese and Israelis,” a State Department spokesperson said.
In August of 2006, Resolution 1701 was passed, thereby ending the last major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. But during the past year, Hezbollah’s image has suffered greatly due to the war between the two organizations, which has also left parts of Lebanon in ruins.
The army was urged by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to create a strategy in August that would ensure that all weapons in the country would be under state control by the end of 2025. Despite its long-standing opposition to disarmament, Hezbollah is coming under increasing pressure from both domestic and foreign sources to surrender its weapons.
According to the Lebanese insider, the new US funding will let the ISF to focus on internal security tasks more, allowing the LAF to focus on strategic missions and broader national defense.
Despite Lebanon’s political turmoil, economic difficulties, and the challenge of controlling Hezbollah’s military power, the ruling shows Washington’s sustained support for the country’s tenuous stability.
