On 29 June, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Saddam Haftar at the State Department in Washington D.C., in the presence of U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos. They discussed ‘ongoing Libyan-led efforts’ to unify the country’s military, economic, and political institutions as well as possible avenues for cooperation to advance unity and peace in Libya. Rubio expressed his ‘appreciation for the efforts of Libyan leaders to overcome divisions and move toward unity.’ He emphasized that the U.S. ‘will remain at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to support Libyan unity and create the conditions for a democratically-elected government able to lead Libya forward.’
On 30 June, Boulos said he had held productive discussions with Saddam. He said that ‘Libya’s future must be built on an inclusive process that reflects the aspirations of all regions and communities and brings stakeholders together in genuine partnership. The United States will continue engaging Libyan leaders from across the country, in coordination with SRSG Hanna Tetteh, UNSMIL, and international partners, to support a Libyan-led political process that advances unified governance and creates the conditions for national elections.’ He added that Saddam Haftar met with Senior Director for the Middle East and Africa Wayne Wall at the National Security Council.