Libya’s rival camps agree on something for once. Libya summoned the US envoy on Sunday over a remark that touched a national nerve.
What Was Said
At a rally in Perry, Georgia, Trump lumped Libya with Yemen, Haiti and Somalia while attacking Senator Jon Ossoff, calling them terror-infested countries and recalling a crude insult from his first term. Libya’s foreign ministry then summoned the US chargé d’affaires, calling the statements offensive. The ministry said it rejects any words that undermine the dignity of its people.
A Divided Country Speaks Together
Libya has had split governments for years, yet the reaction was shared. Rival administrations in the east and west both denounced the comments and refused to be dragged into what they called electoral debates. Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba stressed that Libya is a sovereign state whose people sacrificed in the fight against terrorism, and the Presidential Council demanded an apology. Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of the army, also condemned the remarks as insulting.
Trump’s Follow-Up
Washington softened its tone, partly. Trump wrote that the US stays committed to ties, praised Libyans as proud and hospitable, and thanked those who fought ISIS. He added that Libya cannot remain a corridor for illegal migration. That second point matters to Africans. Libya is a major departure point for people attempting the Mediterranean crossing, and migration deals involving North African states have long been controversial.
Why It Matters Beyond Tripoli
The row shows how African countries are often named in foreign election speeches without being asked. For many readers across the continent, the lesson is familiar: your country can become a talking point in someone else’s campaign.
The dispute lands while Washington is supporting efforts to unify Libya’s institutions and expand cooperation on security and economic development. Whether the summons becomes a lasting chill or a passing storm will depend on what Washington says next. So far, no US reply to the formal protest has been reported.
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