Driving the news:
US Representatives Darin LaHood and Darrell Issa have sent a formal letter to President Donald Trump calling for sustained American involvement in Lebanon’s reform agenda, warning that entrenched political elites are attempting to stall democratic developments and block change.
Why it matters:
Lebanon is in the midst of a delicate transition, with reform efforts still vulnerable to political interference and regional pressures. Continued US engagement is viewed as vital to supporting institutions that are trying to limit Hezbollah’s reach, revive the economy, and ensure fair electoral practices.
What they’re saying:
LaHood and Issa praise Trump for “historic peace deals” in the region and argue that Washington’s partnership with Lebanon is essential. They highlight what they describe as progress under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, saying this momentum could weaken Hezbollah’s influence.
They warn, however, that “outside forces, malign actors, or bureaucratic stalemates” could reverse these gains unless the US applies sustained pressure.
Zoom in:
The lawmakers reaffirmed their backing for the Lebanese Armed Forces’ efforts to fully disarm Hezbollah on both sides of the Litani River, yet avoiding any call for Israel to stop its own violations of the same UN framework.
They also expressed support for financial-sector overhauls and encouraged further engagement in talks between Israel and Lebanon.
A major point they raised is the importance of safeguarding voting rights for Lebanese abroad ahead of the May 2026 elections. They noted that the 2017 electoral law restricted expatriates to electing only six out of 128 parliamentary seats—a limitation suspended in 2018 and 2022, which allowed overseas voters to largely support independent, anti-establishment, and reform-aligned candidates.
Between the lines:
The message identifies Speaker Nabih Berri as a central obstructionist and frames Lebanon’s political class as deliberately undermining change. Any slowdown in implementing reforms, they warned, would effectively place the country’s leadership in step with Hezbollah and its partners.
But the criticism is one-sided: the letter treats US involvement as naturally constructive while ignoring how American sanctions, political pressure, and unilateral mediation efforts have often deepened polarization, weakened state institutions, and tied Lebanese domestic reform to US-Israeli strategic calculations.
The congressmen also contend that Iran’s sway in Lebanon is diminished and that Hezbollah is losing personnel, funding, infrastructure, and overall clout—making this a pivotal moment for targeted US actions, such as using sanctions and assetting freezes against individuals undermining democratic processes.
The bottom line:
LaHood and Issa maintain that Lebanon is at a decisive crossroads and that strong US involvement is essential to prevent reform efforts from being derailed by entrenched interests. They called on Trump to respond swiftly, using diplomatic pressure and financial measures to protect Lebanon’s reform trajectory and ensure full diaspora participation in the 2026 parliamentary elections. “Corrupt political elites cannot continue to serve special interests at a time when the Lebanese people need decisive leaders,” they wrote, requesting Trump’s “urgent attention to this matter.”
