Libya's Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires on Sunday to protest President Donald Trump's recent public statements describing the North African nation as "terror-infested." The ministry asserted that such remarks are offensive and undermine the dignity of the Libyan people.
The protest follows remarks made by President Trump at a rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday. During the event, he stated that Senator Jon Ossoff had "personally sponsored a bill to bring armies of migrants from terror-infested countries like Libya, Yemen, Haiti, Somalia." He further referenced his earlier characterization of some nations as "shithouse countries."
In response to the summons, President Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday night, affirming the United States' commitment to its relationship with Libya. He described the Libyan people as "proud, resilient, hospitable, and deserving of peace and prosperity." Trump also emphasized respect for the Libyan people and their fight against ISIS, stating, "We respect the Libyan people and the sacrifices that brave Libyans made fighting ISIS, the common enemy of both our peoples, but Libya cannot remain a corridor for illegal migration, and this must end now."
Libya's rival administrations, situated in the east and west of the country, have jointly denounced President Trump's comments. Both factions rejected any attempts to draw Libya into what they termed "electoral debates," signaling a unified front against external political interference and disparaging remarks.
