US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the resumption of direct commercial flights between the United States and Lebanon, following his meeting at the White House with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The move marks the return of direct air connections between the two countries for the first time since 1985.
“I am directing my administration to authorize all American airlines to operate direct flights to Lebanon, so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful country,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The US president praised the efforts of President Joseph Aoun in transforming Lebanon and expressed hope that other countries would follow by restoring direct air links with the country.
Direct flights between the United States and Lebanon were suspended in 1985 after Washington halted air connections following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
Joseph Aoun’s visit to the White House marked the first official visit by a Lebanese president to Washington since 2009.
During the meeting, Trump reaffirmed his support for Lebanon, saying that the United States wanted to provide significant assistance to a country facing years of economic and institutional challenges.
“We are going to help them. We are going to help them a lot,” Trump said alongside his Lebanese counterpart in the Oval Office.
Describing Lebanon as a country that had been “mistreated for a long time,” Trump also highlighted the strong ties between the two nations, referring to his connections with many Americans of Lebanese descent and emphasizing opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations.
