LONDON: Hezbollah and all militias in Lebanon must be disarmed 鈥渁s soon as possible,鈥� US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus has told the Lebanese broadcaster LBCI.

Ortagus, who was , emphasized President Donald Trump鈥檚 firm position that only by disarming militant groups could the Lebanese people be 鈥渇ree from foreign influence, free from terrorism, free from the fears that have been so pervasive in society.鈥�

Speaking during her second visit to Lebanon, where she has held 鈥渇antastic meetings鈥� with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Ortagus also reiterated Washington鈥檚 continued support for Lebanon鈥檚 sovereignty, while stressing that disarmament remained a central pillar of any meaningful recovery.

鈥淲e, of course, always bring up disarming Hezbollah, but not just Hezbollah, all militias in this country,鈥� Ortagus said.

鈥淧resident Aoun said clearly in his inaugural speech that he wanted the state to have the monopoly of force, he wanted the state to be the one with the weapons. That is a position that we support,鈥� she added.

When asked to outline a timeline on disarming the Iran-backed group, Ortagus said there was 鈥渘ot necessarily a timetable,鈥� but that it should happen 鈥渁s soon as possible.鈥�

She continued that the US had been providing aid and assistance, training, funding, and equipment to the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) for decades.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a very important American priority. Now that we鈥檙e in this new era 鈥� where the LAF is really able, under President Aoun鈥檚 leadership, to exert more authority over the state 鈥� we want to help them move toward those goals. Those goals are real; they鈥檙e clear,鈥� she said.

Ortagus, who served as spokesperson for the State Department during the first Trump administration, said she was 鈥渧ery encouraged鈥� by Lebanon鈥檚 new cabinet, describing its ministers as 鈥渞eal patriots鈥� with a clear vision for reforms. This was in stark contrast to what she described as the 鈥渄epressing鈥� conditions of the past decade.

When asked whether Hezbollah could play a political role in Lebanon if disarmed, Ortagus responded by reframing the question in terms of broader US policy under Trump.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 come here as a US official representing the Trump administration to make demands: 鈥榊ou must do X, you must do Y.鈥� Rather, I encourage and say: If you want continued partnership with the United States, you have to meet certain goals and criteria,鈥� she said.

鈥淲hen I came here the first time, it was important to me that Nawaf Salam did not have Hezbollah represented among his ministers, just as important was that there not be corrupt ministers; corruption has eroded society鈥檚 confidence.

鈥淚f (Lebanon鈥檚 leaders) choose to work together and partner with the US government to disarm Hezbollah, to fulfil the cessation of hostilities, to end endemic corruption, we鈥檙e going to be a wonderful partner and friend. And there will be more of that to come.

鈥淏ut if the government and the leaders choose to slow-walk that or not be part of that vision for Lebanon that we share, that鈥檚 a choice they can make. But they shouldn鈥檛 expect partnership if they鈥檙e not achieving these goals,鈥� she added.

Addressing speculation over potential Lebanese normalization with Israel, Ortagus dismissed the issue as premature.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a single conversation about that topic here in Lebanon. What we鈥檙e focused on now is implementing the cessation of hostilities. We鈥檙e focused on disarming Hezbollah. We鈥檙e focused on economic reforms,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to crawl before you run; we鈥檙e still at the crawling stage.鈥�

On Lebanon鈥檚 deepening economic crisis, Ortagus said US support would hinge on reforms, echoing positions taken by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

鈥淟ebanon must get off things like the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) gray list. It must move beyond a cash-based economy. It must return to having a sophisticated financial sector, the one Lebanon used to be known for,鈥� she said.

Ortagus revealed she was struck by a billboard in Beirut that read 鈥淢ake Lebanon Great Again,鈥� saying she took a photo of it to show Trump.

鈥淚 loved that sign,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you want to make Lebanon great again, you must implement these reforms. It鈥檚 tough, but Lebanon is in one of the worst financial conditions I鈥檝e seen in the past 20 or 30 years.鈥�

Calling the situation 鈥渄evastating,鈥� she warned that radical change was required to avoid collapse. 鈥淭o rescue yourselves, you鈥檒l need reforms, and some of them radical, to save the country.鈥�

Ortagus also called for an overhaul of the traditional donor-aid approach to post-conflict reconstruction, advocating instead for increased private-sector investment and innovation.

鈥淥ur vision for Lebanon is not just as a donor country always asking for donations,鈥� she told Mrad. 鈥淗ow do we think of a better way to rebuild southern Lebanon? We want people to have jobs. We want them to have hope for the future.鈥�

Pointing to the regional devastation in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, she said the world must 鈥渓ook differently at these war-torn regions鈥� and empower their youth to participate in shaping a more prosperous future.

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