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Trump says Syria 'could' help disarm Hezbollah, voices openness to engagement
Summary
Asked whether Syria should enter Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, President Trump said Syrian involvement 'could be very effective' and noted a working relationship with Syria's president; he did not offer an operational plan or diplomatic framework for such involvement.
A reporter asked whether President Trump supported Syria entering Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. The president said he "gets along very well with the president of Syria" and that Syrian involvement "could be very effective," noting Syria had been fighting Hezbollah and that he would not be surprised if Syria played a role.
The comment did not include on-the-record U.S. approval mechanisms for foreign troop movements or specifics about command, control, legal authorities, or multilateral oversight. The president framed the idea as "a concept" and described his working relationship with Syria's president without announcing a formal policy shift or approval for Syrian operations in Lebanon.
Reporters pressed on the diplomatic and practical implications; the White House did not provide further detail during the event. The statement indicates an openness to outside actors playing a role in Lebanon's security environment but left strategic, legal and operational questions unanswered on the record.
