U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack delivered a frank assessment of Lebanon’s deeply entrenched challenges, particularly highlighting Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm and the urgent need for the country to seize a narrowing window for change.

Barrack did not mince words about Hezbollah’s steadfast position.

“The time frame is shortening. The world is changing around us. Syria is taking advantage of that change. Lebanon needs to decide—take advantage of it or stay stuck in this fall. It breaks my heart,” he said in an interview on LBCI.

On Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm and the Lebanese government’s silence on the issue, Barrack described the dynamic as “typical Lebanese negotiation, like going to the bazaar.” He emphasized that any disarmament must come from within Lebanon itself.

“We’re here just to usher the speed of that opportunity, not to impose it. The Lebanese have to create the timeframe,” he stressed. "What I can tell you is the disarmament of Hezbollah has always been a simple fact that the President and the Secretary of State have always been very clear about: One nation, one people, one army."

Addressing the ongoing threat of war between Israel and Lebanon, Barrack was measured yet pointed: “The threat of war is always real, but between whom? There are so many combatants. We have a cessation of hostility agreement and the Taif Agreement, but no one has lived up to them. I’m not smart enough to figure this out. I’m just a messenger trying to see if we can get everyone to agree to something they will live up to.”

Barrack praised the Lebanese Armed Forces for their recent efforts in the south, calling them “heroic” amid a fragile ceasefire.

“These young men and women are sacrificing their lives for peanuts,” Barrack said. “Now we need to build on that. We have to ask what comes next—what happens with the economy, banking reform, judicial independence, and the return of investment. None of that happens without security.”

Barrack, personally invested in Lebanon through family heritage and backed by President Donald Trump, spoke candidly about the delicate and complex path his mission entails.

“I’m honored, and I’m terrified of disappointing the top three constituencies I have to serve—the people of Lebanon, the American people, and the administration that sent me here.”

He acknowledged the long-standing nature of Lebanon’s troubles.

“There’s no simple solution to a problem that has existed for 60 or 70 years,” he said, but emphasized that "an amazing series of events happened in the world that allow us maybe to take these threads of complexity from this very difficult zip code… and weave it into a new tapestry.”

Barrack stressed that his effort enjoys the full backing of President Donald Trump and State Secretary Marco Rubio, who see Lebanon as a pivotal piece in the region’s realignment.

“If President Trump can help navigate through this system to provide a reliable, understandable network with all the difficulty of everybody around us, I will be very happy and proud to have contributed to that process,” Barrack said.

When asked about the seven-page document he received from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in response to Washington's proposal, Barrack declined to reveal details.

“I don’t negotiate an agreement in the press. To me, that’s the death knell,” he said, contrasting the usual Lebanese practice of publicizing negotiations with his view that respect and confidentiality are essential for success.

He was blunt about the political culture in Lebanon: “Both [buying time and engagement]. The Lebanese political culture is deny, detour and deflect. This has been the way for 60 years, and this is the task we have in front of us—it has to change.”

Yet he praised President Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for their honesty and the fact that Lebanon’s response was delivered confidentially and not leaked to the media.

"My feeling with all three of them is they're being candid, they're being honest, they're being forthright," he said. "We're making no demands. We've only said one thing, if you want us to help you, we're here to usher, we're here to help. We're here to protect to the extent that we can. But we're not going to intervene in regime change. We're not going to intervene in politics. And if you don't want us, no problem, we'll go home. That's it."

"Look around you. The region is changing. Everything is changing. If you don't want to change, if the people don't want to change, just tell us, and we'll not interfere."

He dismissed rumors suggesting the negotiation process could drag on until Lebanon’s parliamentary elections next May.

“Absolutely not,” Barrack said. “I have a boss who has amazing courage and focus… What he doesn’t have is patience.”

He warned that if Lebanon keeps “kicking the can down the road,” his team will no longer be present by the time of the elections.

"Nobody is going to stick around doing this until next May," he warned.

On the issue of Gulf financial aid to rebuild southern Lebanon, Barrack said no formal commitments have been made.

“The Gulf states love Lebanon and the Lebanese people, but they’ve been frustrated by corruption and bureaucracy that have undermined past aid. They want real agreements with timelines and real disarmament before committing funds,” he said. “The Gulf says 'yes, we’re committed, but only if there is a real plan.'”

Barrack concluded with a call for Lebanon to put aside decades-old disputes and focus on what the country wants for its future.

“Put the past aside—the armistice agreements, the Blue Line, the violations. Decide what you want to do, and we will help you get there. If you don’t want to do that, then there are other things going on in the world.”