Aoun tells Issa he is ready to honor any invitation from Trump to visit the United States

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told U.S. Ambassador in Beirut, Michel Issa, whom he hosted at the Baabda Presidential Palace on Wednesday, that he is "ready to honor" any invitation to the United States that Donald Trump may extend to him.

According to a statement from the presidency posted on its X account, Aoun "asked the ambassador to convey his thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump for his congratulatory message on the occasion of Lebanon’s Independence Day (which falls on Nov. 22), and for his remarks during a recent press conference, where he announced his willingness to invite the Lebanese president for an official visit to the United States."

The statement added, "the president expressed his gratitude for this invitation and said he is ready to honor it." The text made no mention of any discussion about the tense situation in South Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, nor about the ongoing visit by the Egyptian foreign minister aimed at reducing these tensions.

The U.S. president had sent a letter to his Lebanese counterpart on Tuesday for Lebanon’s Independence Day, stating that the "country is at a pivotal moment in its history" and expressing the desire to "deepen the partnership" between Washington and Beirut. Additionally, during a press conference earlier in the week, and in response to a question from a Lebanese journalist in the Oval Office, he announced his intention to invite Aoun to visit the United States.

The meeting with Issa comes amid tensions with the United States, reportedly dissatisfied with the Lebanese authorities' actions regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah, a condition set by Washington for increased cooperation and the subject of decisions taken by the Lebanese government last August.

American dissatisfaction reached a peak last week with the cancellation of a trip by Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal to the United States, which sent shock waves through Lebanon. Hezbollah, meanwhile, continues to reject calls for its disarmament country-wide.