Vance urges peace in Lebanon, highlights Trump administration regional push

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that Christians in Lebanon should keep their “faith in Jesus Christ” and emphasized that the United States is working to promote peace in the region.

Vance said the core issue facing Christians, and the reason for ongoing violence, is the presence of Hezbollah, which he described as a group that has “effectively taken up shop” in Lebanon. 

He said that exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel lead to Israeli responses in what he described as self-defense, resulting in a “constant slow burn of conflict.”

He added that the situation has “actually gotten a lot better over the last couple of weeks,” crediting the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and others in the administration.

Vance said that while peace takes time to take root, the United States is working toward broader stability in the region and a shift in how regional issues are managed. 

He also said that if current diplomatic efforts succeed, they could help transform the region in a positive direction, adding that there are both supporters and skeptics of the initiative, but that it could represent a major diplomatic achievement.