The Wall Street Journal reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio convinced President Trump that Israel should not be compelled to withdraw from southern Lebanon, and that Vice President JD Vance has since yielded and expressed support for that position.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio successfully convinced President Trump of his approach opposing any forced Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Vice President JD Vance, who had previously been seen as potentially advocating a different line, folded and announced his support for Rubio's position, according to the report.
As The Zioneer reported at 08:13 and 12:02 Tuesday, Vance had already publicly backed Rubio's stance, stating that no one in the Trump administration wants to force Israel to hand over southern Lebanon to an Iranian proxy. The new report clarifies that this alignment followed Rubio's direct lobbying of Trump.
The development consolidates the Trump administration's interpretation of the memorandum of understanding with Lebanon — blocking Iran's demand for a full Israeli withdrawal. Defense Minister Israel Katz had stated last week that there was no American demand for withdrawal, a position now underscored by the reported internal shift within the U.S. team.
No official confirmation from the White House or State Department beyond the Journal's account has been provided.
3 developments
- StrongWSJ: Trump administration's US interpretation of Lebanon MOU blocks Iran's full-withdrawal demand
- DevelopingVP Vance: Deal does not mandate Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, self-defense right retained
- DevelopingWSJ: US applies pressure on Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon
- StrongAnalyst: US administration divided over Lebanon talks — Vance pro-Iran, Rubio backs Lebanese sovereignty
Source and signal
- Internal intake