Lebanese President Joseph Aoun plans to meet US President Donald Trump this week in what marks the first visit by a Lebanese leader to America in 17 years.

The previous Lebanese president to travel to the US was Michel Suleiman for talks with Barack Obama in 2009.

This trip follows recent high-level US engagements with the Iraqi prime minister and a meeting between Trump and the Syrian president in Turkey earlier this month, highlighting key Arab state discussions with Washington.

A Lebanese presidency statement indicated Aoun will confer with Trump and other American officials on Lebanon's situation, ways to strengthen the ceasefire, and Israel's withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories.

The main meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, with an additional session set for Sunday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

First White House visit in 17 years amid LAF troop deployments to pilot zones

Aoun's arrival coincides with plans to send Lebanese troops into pilot zones in southern Lebanon near IDF positions, aiming to place those areas under army control instead of Hezbollah influence.

The military has achieved limited results so far in facing or disarming Hezbollah, and questions remain about the government's readiness to challenge the group directly.

Aoun focuses on securing an Israeli withdrawal or redeployment, though Israeli officials have ruled out full withdrawal while allowing for possible limited adjustments.

US forces continue multi-day operations against Iran, which could influence the talks and prompt Iran to leverage Hezbollah or Yemen's Houthis for added pressure on Israel.

Reports from Arab News emphasize that Aoun, as former commander of Lebanon's US-supported army and president since last year, represents the first Lebanese head of state at the White House in nearly two decades for direct talks with Trump.

The emphasis centers on displaced Lebanese seeking return to southern areas, with Aoun seeking US assistance to influence Israeli actions.

Additional reporting notes that a Lebanese official confirmed Aoun will deliver a written proposal to Trump on decommissioning Hezbollah's extensive weapons stockpile, citing Trump's unique leverage to encourage Israeli withdrawal and restore Lebanese sovereignty.

Although Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have discussed establishing a state monopoly on arms, concrete steps to disarm Hezbollah remain absent.

Instead, some Palestinian factions were disarmed last year amid Lebanon's sectarian system that resists major shifts, along with veteran politicians like Nabih Berri and Walid Jumblatt favoring continuity.

Coverage highlights how Aoun's initial year in office centered on efforts to secure Hezbollah disarmament, a group established by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982 with multiple conflicts against Israel.

Lebanese forces have moved into southern Lebanon to gather Hezbollah weapons in line with the post-2024 war ceasefire, facing little resistance from a diminished Hezbollah.

Aoun was born in Sin Al-Fil near eastern Beirut with family roots in south Lebanon, beginning his army service as a platoon commander in the rangers during the 1975-1990 civil war.

Aoun elected following political crisis and Hezbollah influence over national affairs

Aoun took office after prolonged political deadlock that left Lebanon without a president since 2022.

Hezbollah has shaped Lebanese politics for over a decade, complicating selection of a president without its support, while sectarian rules require the president to be Christian.

US-backed talks between Israel and Lebanon, including recent sessions in Rome, seek to facilitate army deployments to pilot zones.

A Lebanese army officer died in an explosion yesterday, and Israeli statements suggest minimal withdrawals at present.

The framework agreement lacks a withdrawal timetable, with Israeli officials insisting on retaining a security zone ten kilometers deep until Hezbollah is disarmed, a goal analysts view as challenging for the Lebanese state.