US President Donald Trump on Thursday, 5 June publicly confirmed that the United States has held direct communications with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group designated by Washington as a foreign terrorist organisation, as part of efforts to stabilise Lebanon and reduce broader Middle East tensions. The admission marks one of the most explicit acknowledgements by any sitting US president of direct engagement with the group.

What Trump Said

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump pushed back on reports that Hezbollah had rejected a US-backed peace proposal for Lebanon. “Yeah, what does reject mean? They didn’t reject,” he said.

Trump then disclosed the nature of the contact directly: “Look, they’re looking. I think Hezbollah — I will tell you, they called us and they said, how about stopping?” he said. “And I think you’re going to see things happen over there.”

He also confirmed that the Lebanon issue was raised in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu about that,” Trump said. “And I actually spoke to Hezbollah about it. I think progress has been made.”

Lebanon in Focus

Trump described Lebanon as a country that has endured decades of instability, expressing hope for a political settlement. “It would be really nice if Lebanon could have some peace,” he said. “Lebanon’s been under attack for so many years and always like an underdog.”

He also acknowledged the deep-rooted nature of the conflict: “That’s been going on for a long time — for years and years, 48 years. I said, that’s a long time. Not that easy.”

The Iran Connection

Trump linked the Lebanon file directly to wider US efforts involving Iran, describing the two as interconnected. “That’s been, like, a little bit of a different world, but it’s interconnected with Iran,” he said. The remarks come amid ongoing US diplomatic activity aimed at curbing Iranian influence across the region.

Hezbollah remains one of the most powerful political and military actors in Lebanon and has been central to multiple conflicts involving Israel over several decades. It operates with significant backing from Tehran, making any US engagement with the group diplomatically sensitive.

A Departure from Past US Policy

Previous US administrations have consistently avoided publicly acknowledging any direct contacts with Hezbollah, given its terrorist designation under US law. Trump’s open admission on Thursday represents a notable departure from that posture, reflecting his administration’s broader willingness to engage unconventionally with adversarial actors in pursuit of deal-making. Notably, this is not the first time Trump has signalled openness to back-channel diplomacy in the region — his administration has similarly pursued direct engagement with Iran over its nuclear programme.

What Comes Next

The White House has not provided further details on the format, frequency, or outcomes of the reported contacts with Hezbollah. Regional observers will be watching closely for any concrete ceasefire or political framework that may emerge from these engagements, particularly given Lebanon’s fragile political situation and the ongoing Israeli military operations in the area.