Syrians reject Trump’s call for Syria to combat Hezbollah in Lebanon

Syrian residents in Damascus rejected US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Syria should confront Hezbollah in Lebanon. The call, made by Trump during a rally in Indiana on September 15, 2024, proposed that Syria should take on Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and militant group, instead of the United States. Trump stated that Syria "hates Hezbollah" and that "Syria should fight Hezbollah." However, local sentiment in Damascus, as reported by Reuters on September 17, 2024, indicated a clear opposition to this idea. Syrians expressed that they have their own issues to deal with and that such a conflict would not be in their interest. The sentiment suggests a desire to avoid further entanglement in regional conflicts and a focus on domestic stability.