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Trump set to meet Lebanon PM Hariri at White House

By Ed Adamczyk

July 25 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump will meet Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

Trump and Hariri will discuss "issues of mutual concern, including the fight against terrorism, the economy, and refugees," the White House said.

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The two leaders will hold a joint news conference at 3 p.m. EDT.

A more pressing issue for the meeting could be the U.S. plan to cut military aid to Lebanon. The U.S. State Department's 2018 budget plan earmarks $19 million in aid for weapons, equipment and training -- a reduction of $84 million from this year.

The budget cuts would also end the Foreign Military Financing program, valued by the State Department at $86 million, which provides grants and loans to purchase U.S.-made weapons.

The action by the United States signals a change in policy toward Lebanon, which has been an ally in the fight against the Islamic State terror group, the Lebanese Examiner reported. It added that the United States has provided over $1.4 billion to Lebanon since 2005.

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Continued assistance to the Lebanese military has been meant to serve as a strategic counterbalance to Hezbollah, an organization classified by the United States as a terrorist group.

The State Department budget includes cuts in aid to a number of countries, including Tunisia, Iraq, Morocco and Yemen.

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