Washington to Beirut: Reform first

As Washington moves toward final approval of the 2025-2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Lebanon finds itself quietly yet unmistakably at the center of the debate.

The massive $886 billion bill, which sets United States (US) military and security policy for the coming fiscal year, advances what House Speaker Mike Johnson described as President Donald Trump’s “peace through strength” agenda while reinforcing border security and reshaping defense priorities.

Yet beneath the high-profile disputes over Ukraine and Israel funding, the NDAA’s Lebanon provisions carry strategic implications for a country already navigating regional volatility.

Renewed support, heightened conditions

For Beirut, the NDAA represents both an opportunity to sustain the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and a challenge that tests Lebanon’s diplomatic agility and institutional resilience. US officials have long viewed the LAF as a strategic ally, a stabilizing force and a counterweight to extremist groups and Iranian influence. Washington’s support, ranging from providing vital training to critical equipment, has been essential in maintaining the LAF’s operational capacity at a time when Lebanon’s economic collapse has left state institutions severely under-resourced.

The new NDAA continues this assistance but makes it clear that support is no longer unconditional. According to congressional staff involved in drafting the legislation, the bill introduces stricter requirements designed to ensure that the Lebanese military maintains independence from Hezbollah and demonstrates progress in areas such as border security, weapons oversight, and human rights compliance. Both the State Department and the Department of Defense (DOD) will be required to certify that US-funded units are not cooperating with Hezbollah and that aid is not being misused.

Indeed, despite the bill mentioning the importance of “enhancing security partnership with Jordan and Lebanon,” it nevertheless states that “such support may be used only to promote the ability of the armed forces of Lebanon to counter the threat posed by Lebanese Hezbollah and any other terrorist organization that threatens the security of Lebanon and its neighbors.”

The tougher conditions reflect a broader sentiment in Washington: frustration with Lebanon’s slow pace of reform and its inability to assert full state authority. US diplomats argue that the status quo, in which the LAF receives assistance while Hezbollah maintains an expansive, independent military infrastructure, is increasingly untenable.

In short, US support must be linked to meaningful Lebanese action. This scrutiny places the Lebanese military in a delicate position. Open confrontation with Hezbollah risks destabilizing Lebanon’s fragile political balance, while failure to assert institutional independence may jeopardize critical American aid. As a result, LAF commanders can expect more frequent oversight, reporting requirements, and political pressure from US officials.

A strategic signal to Iran and Hezbollah

Beyond funding mechanisms, the NDAA sends a broader geopolitical signal. By tying military aid directly to non-cooperation with Hezbollah, the legislation underscores Washington’s intent to counter the group’s influence and, by extension, Iran’s regional ambitions. With tensions rising along Lebanon’s southern border and Israel increasingly concerned about Iranian entrenchment, this explicit linkage carries heightened significance.

From here, the NDAA’s provisions act as an indicator of American intent, reassuring allies and warning adversaries that Washington expects clearer delineation between Lebanon’s state institutions and Hezbollah’s parallel structures.

The NDAA offers Lebanon continued military assistance at a critical moment, but it also presents a demanding test. The country must demonstrate that its institutions, particularly the LAF, can uphold sovereignty while navigating complex domestic realities. With Washington signaling reduced tolerance for ambiguity, Beirut will need strategic discipline, diplomatic skill, and credible reform to maintain US support.