Overview

• U.S. envoy Tom Barrack told reporters to "act civilized" and warned the delegation would leave if the briefing became "chaotic, like animalistic."
• The Lebanese presidency and the information minister expressed regret that the comments were made from the presidential platform.
• Lebanese photojournalists’, press editors’ and journalists’ syndicates demanded a public apology and raised the prospect of boycotting future meetings.
• Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Musawi called the remarks a "blatant insult" and urged the government to summon and reprimand the U.S. ambassador.
• Barrack, who leads a delegation including Senators Lindsey Graham and Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Joe Wilson with deputy envoy Morgan Ortagus, has not issued a public apology as the mission focused on Hezbollah faces reputational fallout.