Kataeb MP Salim Sayegh said the message conveyed by the visiting U.S. delegation to Lebanese officials appeared to come directly from the Oval Office, expressing appreciation for the Lebanese Army’s role and satisfaction with the judiciary’s ongoing efforts to curb corruption and money laundering “within the limits of what’s possible.”

Speaking to Voice of Lebanon and VDL24, Sayegh explained that the Americans “believe Lebanon is on the right track,” but remain concerned about the country’s trajectory.

“They want to see decisive steps from Lebanon; proof that the country is charting a different course from the past,” he said. “Their impression is that Lebanon follows the politics of the possible, while President Trump, according to what we were told, views politics as the art of the impossible, meaning there are no options left for the Lebanese but to act boldly.”

Sayegh added that the U.S. delegation was puzzled by the Lebanese State’s failure to implement its own decisions, citing the “Rawshe Rock” case as an example that “left a poor impression in Washington.” He said American officials “don’t understand why the Lebanese State doesn’t enforce its own rulings,” adding that they see “no serious political will to make difficult decisions, whatever the cost.”

Lebanon’s governing system, he said, still operates under “a troika that binds both the decision-making process and the political order.”

The Americans, Sayegh continued,“believe the president holds considerable prestige and should act decisively.

"Their support for him remains strong as he’s not left on his own," he noted, deeming the 60-day window given to Lebanon as “a period of encouragement, not a deadline for failure.” He said Washington expects “firm decisions away from procrastination, unlike what’s happening with the IMF negotiations and the unresolved financial gap.”

Sayegh noted that U.S. officials praised their renewed cooperation with Lebanon’s Justice Ministry after meeting with Minister Adel Nassar. Sayegh emphasized that “respect for Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as a person and for his work doesn’t mean that any criticism of a minister or ministry should be seen as an attack on the premiership.”

“The government should be larger than the political forces that brought it together,” Sayegh said. “Right now, it’s too cautious and hasn’t advanced far enough on policy.”

"Its calculations should be national, not circumstantial,” he said, warning that Lebanon’s allies “are losing confidence and questioning everyone’s credibility.”

He, therefore, urged both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Salam “to steer the course back in the right direction.”

On the electoral law, Sayegh criticized the cabinet’s delay in sending its draft to Parliament, saying the government “was formed with a specific mission, which is to lead the country until the next parliamentary elections."

On expatriate voting, Sayegh said the electoral law must be amended.

“If Speaker Nabih Berri insists on his position, Parliament will remain paralyzed,” he warned. “He has been one of the speakers who closed the chamber most often, obstructing its work. Is this how he wants to crown his political career?”

Turning to corruption, Sayegh said “the pillars of corruption remain deeply embedded in ministries and public administrations, being stronger even than ministers and the parties that tried to confront their patrons.” He called for a “decisive break” with the past, saying “leadership requires courage and risk-taking."

"Those who don’t take risks cannot lead," he said. 

He recalled how President Joseph Aoun, when serving as army commander during Lebanon’s presidential vacuum, “personally took bold risks and carried them out successfully.” He urged the president to “avoid repeating the mistakes of past eras, which discovered too late that compromising on justice only reinforces injustice.”

Commenting on Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel’s proposal to enshrine Lebanon’s neutrality in the Constitution, Sayegh explained the Lebanese Constitution consists of two parts: a preamble that reflects the national charter and a legal section governing the separation of powers.

Neutrality, he stressed, “is a foundational principle of Lebanon’s national pact; one of the pillars of partnership among Lebanese.”

“When we refuse to align with one regional axis or another, we affirm our neutrality,” he said. “The National Pact was first expressed in the ministerial statement of the Independence Government; a declaration of intent that became a binding national understanding, superior to the law and the Constitution itself. But it was never formally codified. The best way forward now is to place the essence of that pact, which is partnership through neutrality, in the Constitution’s preamble.”

Sayegh said Iran remains “Lebanon’s biggest problem,” as the international community “believes Tehran continues to tighten its grip on the Lebanese arena, blocking any government aligned with the United Nations or friendly nations.”

“Since Iran still sends money and weapons to Hezbollah, the first step must be cutting that link. If we fail to do so, we’ll remain hostage to the balance of power and Iran’s ability to challenge the Lebanese State," he said.

He noted that Israel justifies its strikes on Lebanon by claiming to target “Iran’s arms inside the country,” and warned that Lebanon must move “from geopolitical logic to constitutional logic by cutting the cord between Iran and Hezbollah for the sake of future generations.” He called on all political forces “to rise above petty disputes, meet the moment, and seize the opportunity at hand.”

Sayegh said the Kataeb Party foresaw the importance of neutrality as early as 1959 and championed it as a guiding principle of independence.

On negotiations with Israel, Sayegh said “all means are acceptable. What matters is the goal.” He recalled how former General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim negotiated with the Nusra Front in Arsal “because retrieving kidnapped soldiers was a national priority."

"The objective outweighed the means," he said.

Sayegh urged Lebanon to “use every peaceful method to reclaim its land,” noting that “Hezbollah itself negotiated with Amos Hochstein over the maritime borders.” The UN Truce Commission and the monitoring mechanism under Resolution 1701, he said, “already exist as frameworks for talks.”

“This resolution contains a vital political element as it calls on Lebanon and the international community to work toward ending hostilities and paving the way for lasting stability as a step toward regional peace,” he added.

So far, however, “the Lebanese State hasn’t fully grasped the opportunity this opens,” Sayegh said. “Our concern is stability and security, not burdening Lebanon beyond its capacity. Our ambition is to live in lasting peace.”

He called for preparing southern Lebanon’s infrastructure “for economic revival, for residents to return and live in dignity, and for Lebanon to be ready for the path to peace.”

“I believe peace is coming to the region,” Sayegh said. “Our goal is to lay out a Lebanese roadmap to reach it. We are makers of peace, not seekers of surrender.”

He urged the president “to create the conditions for change and to say, ‘I want to make history, not just witness it.’”

He also called on Hezbollah “to hand over its weapons and present a civil transformation plan with clear costs and budgets.”

“Lebanon is a model nation,” he said. “The system is being corrected, but breaking from the past is essential. We still believe in the government’s performance, in the prime minister, and in the president’s presence as an opportunity.”

Discussing electoral alliances in Keserwan–Jbeil, Sayegh said he seeks partners “who are true to themselves and whose hearts, voices, and dignity align.”

“People are fed up,” he said. “I’m consistent with myself and willing to sacrifice everything, except my dignity, for Lebanon and its people. That’s why our alliances must reflect our principles. We can’t form hybrid coalitions just to collect votes. In the last elections, we formed a coherent alliance with MP Neemat Frem. We’re still in contact and may continue working together. The door is open to others, but the core remains our alignment with Frem.”