Libya recalls US Chargé d'Affaires in protest over Trump's "dirty state" remark - Sarmad
Tripoli recalled Inga Heming to submit a protest note regarding Trump's description of Libya as a "dirty state."
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
US President Donald Trump’s remarks have sparked outrage in Libya after he described several countries, including Libya, as “dirty,” prompting Tripoli to summon the US Chargé d’Affaires to deliver a protest note regarding these comments.
During a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday, Trump questioned why the United States accepts immigrants from Libya, Yemen, Haiti, and Somalia instead of countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Trump said, “Why do we always have to accept people from dirty countries? Libya, Yemen, Haiti, and Somalia—I call these countries dirty countries.”
For his part, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, head of Libya’s Government of National Unity, rejected on Sunday any insult to Libya and its people, reaffirming his country’s commitment to establishing relations with the United States based on mutual respect.
In his response, Dbeibah stated in a post on his X account that Libya is a sovereign state and emphasized his rejection of any affront to the country or its people, who have made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
He stressed that relations with the United States must be based on mutual respect, adding, “We will not accept Libya’s dignity and that of its people becoming fodder for electoral debates.”
Later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity announced the summoning of US Chargé d’Affaires Inga Heming to deliver a protest note against the “offensive” remarks made about Libya and its people.
In a statement, the ministry said it had summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires to its headquarters to inform her of its protest against the comments targeting Libya and its people.
It clarified that it had handed the US diplomat an official protest note demanding clarification regarding those remarks and a correction of what was stated therein.
The ministry affirmed that Libya is “a sovereign state” and “rejects any statements that could undermine the dignity of its people or diminish its status, or drag its name and people into the context of electoral debates and domestic political calculations.”
It further emphasized that mutual respect, safeguarding national sovereignty, and adherence to diplomatic norms constitute solid foundations for relations between states.
