Washington : US President Donald Trump praised the resilience of the Libyan people and their counter-terrorism cooperation with Washington, while firmly asserting that the North African nation must immediately cease serving as a primary transit route for illegal migration.
In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump highlighted the shared sacrifices between the two nations in combating extremist elements, pointing to past joint efforts against ISIS.
“The Libyan people are proud, resilient, hospitable, and deserving of peace and prosperity. The United States and Libya share a strong and enduring partnership in combating terrorism, building on our historic success in defeating ISIS in Libya together,” Trump stated.
However, emphasising the urgent need to address unchecked migration flows across the Mediterranean, the US President called for decisive action.
“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,” he said.
Underlining Washington’s backing for Libya’s democratic roadmap, Trump reaffirmed US support for consolidating state governance and holding overdue national polls to resolve the country’s longstanding political division.
“The United States remains firmly committed to strengthening our bilateral relationship, supporting the long-awaited unification of Libya and Libya’s institutions, and standing with the Libyan people as they transition toward successful national elections,” Trump noted.
The US President also called for an end to external geopolitical interference in Libyan domestic affairs, urging rival factions to unify under sovereign governance.
“The Libyan people have been victims of terrorism and foreign meddling for years. I want them to unite, take back their sovereignty, and have the peaceful, prosperous future they deserve!” he added.
On Saturday, citing Libya, Yemen, Haiti and Somalia, Trump targeted Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff over his support for a bill seeking temporary protected status for Haiti, reviving his controversial “shithouse countries” remarks.
Addressing a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, for Republican candidates, he said, “And John Ossoff personally sponsored a bill to bring armies of migrants from terror-infested countries like Libya, Yemen, Haiti, Somalia. Remember? Remember what I called them? Shithouse countries,” Trump said.
“Remember the heat I took? Remember the heat I took from the Democrats?” he added, recalling a meeting with Democratic senators on immigration policy.
Trump alleged that 98 per cent of Somalis living in the US did not work and claimed that they benefited from theft.
“You know, 98 per cent of the people that we have here now in Somalia don’t work, and they don’t even have to work because they steal so much, they all have a Mercedes-Benz,” he said.
“Can you believe? Low IQ, and they live better than you do. It’s I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe they’re not as Maybe they’re not as low as we think,” Trump added.
-ANI