Joseph Aoun | |
|---|---|
| جوزيف عون | |
.jpg) Aoun in 2025 | |
| 14th President of Lebanon | |
| Assumed office 9 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Michel Aoun Najib Mikati (acting) |
| 14th Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces | |
| In office 8 March 2017 – 9 January 2025 | |
| President | Michel Aoun Najib Mikati (acting) |
| Preceded by | Jean Kahwaji |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Audi (acting) Rodolph Haykal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Khalil Aoun (1964-01-10)10 January 1964 (age 61) Sin el Fil,Mount Lebanon, Lebanon |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Nehmat Aoun |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Lebanese American University (BA) Lebanese Army Military Academy |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Lebanon |
| Branch | Lebanese Army |
| Service years | 1983–2025 |
| Rank |  General |
| Wars | Lebanese Civil War Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon |
Joseph Khalil Aoun[a][b] (born 10 January 1964) is a Lebanese politician and formerarmy general who has served as the 14thpresident of Lebanon since 2025. He has previously served as thecommander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and is the fifth commander elected president.
Born to aMaronite Christian family in theBeirut suberb ofSin el Fil, Aoun enrolled in theLebanese American University where he got abachelor's degree in political science and also another degree in military science from theLebanese Army Military Academy. In 1983, Aoun joined theLebanese Armed Forces and mainly received military training abroad inSyria and theUnited States, where he underwentcounter-terrorism in 2008, and also in 2013 in Lebanon. In 1990, Aoun served in theLebanese Commando Regiment in the Lebanese Armed Forces and participated in theWar of Elimination where he fought forMichel Aoun (no relation). The commander of the unit, Bassam Gergi, was killed, and thus Aoun took over and became the commander.
In 2015, Aoun was appointed commander of the 9th Brigade deployed on the border withIsrael. Two years later in March 2017, he was officially appointed commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, replacingJean Kahwaji. During this time, Aoun gained national popularity due to his leadership style and his role in fighting terrorists groups like Islamic State andAl-Nusra Front. Since 2022, Aoun has been reported as one of the possible presidential candidates to succed President Michel Aoun in thepresidential election. In January 2025, Aoun was elected president, thus ending the two year political crisis.
Aoun was born on 10 January 1964 to aMaronite Christian family, in the Beirut suburb ofSin el-Fil in theMetn District, the child of Hoda Ibrahim Makhlouta and Khalil Aoun.[1] He completed secondary school at theCollège des Frères Mont La Salle. His family is originally from the town ofAl-Aaishiyah, Southern Lebanon.
Aoun enrolled at theLebanese American University to pursue a bachelor's degree inpolitical science andinternational affairs, which he earned in 2007. He also holds a bachelor's degree inmilitary science from theLebanese Army Military Academy.[2][3][4]
Aoun joined the Lebanese army in 1983 and enrolled in the military academy during the Lebanese civil war.[5] He trained abroad, especially in the United States and Syria. He also underwentcounter-terrorism training in the United States in 2008 and Lebanon in 2013. He became head of the army's9th Infantry Brigade in 2015.
In 1990, Aoun served as a lieutenant in the Lebanese Army'sCommando Regiment (Arabic:فوج المغاوير) under leader Bassam Gergi at the Adma barracks. In the1990 Elimination War, two hundredcommandos loyal to GeneralMichel Aoun were trapped in their base inAdma wa Dafneh bySamir Geagea’sLebanese Forces militia (LF) until a truce was arranged to allow their evacuation.[6] Gergi was killed and Aoun took over leadership within the unit.[7][8]
In 2015, Aoun was appointed commander of the 9th Brigade deployed on the border with Israel. On 8 March 2017, the Lebanese government appointed himcommander-in-chief of theLebanese Armed Forces (LAF), replacingJean Kahwaji.[9]
Aoun led battles against theIslamic State campaign in eastern Lebanon, where hundreds of Islamic State andAl-Nusra Front militants were entrenched on the border with Syria.[3] On 19 August 2017, he commanded the Jroud Dawn Operation, a successful offensive to expel the militants from their strongholds.[10]
Following protests in Lebanon and the political deadlock, General Aoun spoke out on 8 March 2021 criticising theLebanese liquidity crisis and its impact on the military. His speech wentviral on social media.[11]
On 15 December 2023, theLebanese parliament voted to extend Aoun's term for one year, which was mainly endorsed by the Lebanese Opposition, theAmal Movement and theProgressive Socialist Party.[12] During this time, he led the LAF through the2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. On 28 November 2024, parliament voted to extend his term a second time.[13]
Aoun's possible presidential candidacy was first raised byLebanese Forces leaderSamir Geagea in July 2022 who suggested that he would make a good successor toMichel Aoun.[14] Qatar declared support for his candidacy during a visit by officials as they vowed to support the army with financial and military aid; the United States followed with support.[15]
In December 2022, a five-nation group was formed by the Doha envoy which involved the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to hold talks and resolve the presidential vacancy in Lebanon in which most countries affirmed their support for Aoun's election.[16]
Walid Jumblatt was the first to officially announce, in 2024, that theDemocratic Gathering bloc, which he leads, would elect him.[17] On 9 January 2025 opposition groups including theKataeb party, theRenewal Bloc, and theLebanese Forces issued a joint statement in support of Aoun.[18]
On 9 January 2025, Aoun was elected president in the second round of theelectoral session.[19] In his inaugural address, he vowed to fight the mafias, drug trafficking, interference in the justice system, corruption, poverty, andsectarianism. He also stated that he would promote economic, political, and judicial reform.[20][21] He also said: "The Lebanese state – I repeat the Lebanese state – will get rid of theIsraeli occupation",[22] while also vowing that he would work "to affirm the state's right to a monopoly on the carrying of arms".[23]
His election was criticized by some opposition members as unconstitutional who argued that the Lebanese constitution bars a sitting army commander from being elected president as stated in article 49 of the constitution, a ban that has been waived multiple times, which prompted some MPs to place aprotest vote.[24] However, a precedent was set in the election ofMichel Suleiman in2008 when a sitting army chief was elected president with a two thirds majority in Parliament, the number required to amend the constitution, despite no actual amendment of the constitution by Parliament similar to what happened with the1998 election ofEmile Lahoud.[25]
After Joseph Aoun was elected President of Lebanon, he delivered a speech before the Lebanese Parliament, expressing his positions on several key issues for the country and outlining commitments for the future, including:
Aoun also addressed controversial issues among the Lebanese people, such as:
In one of his first acts as president, Aoun nominatedNawaf Salam, the head of theInternational Court of Justice, asPrime Minister of Lebanon after winning the majority of votes by the members of parliament.[27] Hezbollah's parliamentary leaderMohammad Raad stated that Hezbollah "extended its hand" by helping to secure Aoun's election only to find the "hand cut off" accusing the opposition of fragmentation and exclusion from power in Lebanon.[28] Salam and Aoun's election is seen as a manifestation of Hezbollah's diminished influence in Lebanese politics, partly due to the group's military and financial losses in theconflict with Israel and thefall of the Assad regime in Syria.[29][30] Aoun formally appointed Salam as Prime Minister on 8 February 2025.[31]
Hezbollah, facing regional pressures and internal challenges, expressed willingness to discuss its disarmament, contingent upon Israel's withdrawal from contested territories in southern Lebanon and the cessation of military strikes. Aoun emphasized direct talks between the presidency and Hezbollah to establish "modalities" for transferring weapons to state control.[32] He stated that he aims to make 2025 the year of "state monopoly on arms". The Lebanese Army, under Aoun's direction, was tasked with confiscating weapons and dismantling unauthorized military facilities in southern Lebanon.[33] This is in line with the ceasefire agreement following the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which requires the army to extend state authority and remove all unauthorized arms caches and outposts, regardless of the group controlling them.
In his speech on July 31, 2025 in honor of theLebanese Army’s 80th anniversary, he addressed all parties emphasizing the historic opportunity for the disarmament of Hezbollah, while restoring and reinforcing state sovereignty.[34][35] During the visit ofAli Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Aoun expressed his thoughts telling Larijani that Lebanon rejects any foreign intervention in its domestic affairs.[36] Only Lebanon and its army are responsible for the state.[37]
Aoun is married to Nehmat Nehmeh. They have two children, Khalil and Nour. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.[38][39]
His son, Khalil Aoun, is a former basketballplayer, having played in his career forAntranik,Champville,Hoops Club andLouaize.[40] He has since transitioned to a role in basketball management and was appointed as the team manager forSagesse Club for the 2025/2026 season.
He is not related toMichel Aoun, his predecessor as bothPresident of Lebanon andCommander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, although both areLebanese Maronite Christians and share the same surname. Under theNational Pact, the President and the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces are always selected from the Maronite community.[41]
| Ribbon | Description | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | War Medal | Three-time recipient | [42][43][44] |
.jpg) | Medal of the Wounded | Two-time recipient | |
| Medal of National Unity | |||
 | Medal of the "Dawn of the South" | ||
 | Military Valour Medal, Silver | ||
 | Grand Cordon of theNational Order of the Cedar | automatic upon taking presidential office, previously decorated as Officer and Knight of the Order | |
 | Extraordinary Class of theOrder of Merit | automatic upon taking presidential office, promoted from 1st Class, and before that from 2nd Class and 3rd Class | |
 | Officer of theLegion of Honour (France) | ||
_-_ribbon_bar.gif) | Collar (Athir Class) of theNational Order of Merit (Algeria) |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces 2017–2025 | Succeeded by Hassan Audi as Acting commander |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of Lebanon 2025–present | Incumbent |
 | ||
| .svg) | |
*Acting Commander | ||
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