US envoy Massad Boulos to visit Libya next week

Massad Boulos, the United States’ special envoy to Africa under President Donald Trump, is scheduled to visit Libya next week amid escalating tensions in the region. This will be his first official trip to the country.

According to Middle East Eye, Boulos intends to begin his visit in Tripoli, the seat of the Government of National Unity, before travelling to Benghazi, where forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar are based.

Earlier this year, Boulos was expected to visit Libya but instead went to Cairo, reportedly at the request of Egyptian authorities. Sources cited by Middle East Eye reveal that during this period, Boulos held talks with a senior advisor to former Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah regarding the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Libya’s sovereign wealth funds, which remain frozen under sanctions. The discussions included the potential investment of some of these funds through American companies operating in Libya.

In a related development, NBC reported that the Trump administration allegedly pressured the Libyan government to accept up to one million Palestinians from Gaza—where Israeli military operations have been ongoing since 7 October 2023—in exchange for the release of these funds.

Meanwhile, Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar, is reportedly gaining influence within the Trump administration’s national security circles. According to US and Arab sources speaking to Middle East Eye, Saddam’s profile has risen, positioning him as a potential future leader.

In April, Saddam Haftar visited Washington, meeting with Boulos at the State Department. Notably, he also held confidential discussions with senior US intelligence officials, details of which had not previously been disclosed.

Middle East Eye also notes that in 2019, former President Trump gave tacit approval to Khalifa Haftar’s offensive to capture Tripoli, although the campaign ultimately failed following Turkish intervention.