# Joseph Aoun

_President of the Republic of Lebanon since 2025_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/joseph-aoun
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Joseph Khalil Aoun (born 10 January 1964) is a Lebanese politician and former army general who has served as the 14th president of Lebanon since 2025. He has previously served as the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and is the fifth president with a military background.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 10 January 1964 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Sin el Fil ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P19))
- **Citizenship:** Lebanon ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P27))
- **Occupation:** military officer; politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P106))
- **Education:** Lebanese Army Military Academy; Lebanese American University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P69))
- **Spouse:** Nehmat Aoun ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P26))
- **Positions held:** President of Lebanon (since 9 January 2025 · BS 24 Poush 2081 onwards); Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (8 March 2017 – 9 January 2025) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P39))
- **Awards:** Grand Officer of the Order of Merit (Lebanon); Knight of the National Order of the Cedar ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962#P166))

## About

Born to a Maronite Christian family in the Beirut suburb of Sin el Fil, Aoun enrolled in the Lebanese American University where he got a bachelor's degree in political science and also another degree in military science from the Lebanese Army Military Academy. In 1983, Aoun joined the Lebanese Armed Forces and mainly received military training abroad in Syria and the United States, where he underwent counter-terrorism in 2008, and also in 2013 in Lebanon. In 1990, Aoun served in the Lebanese Commando Regiment in the Lebanese Armed Forces and participated in the War of Elimination where he fought for Michel Aoun (no relation). The commander of the unit, Bassam Gergi, was killed, and thus Aoun took over and became the commander.

In 2015, Aoun was appointed commander of the 9th Brigade deployed on the border with Israel. Two years later in March 2017, he was officially appointed commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, replacing Jean Kahwaji. During this time, Aoun gained national popularity due to his leadership style and his role in fighting terrorist groups like the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. Since 2022, Aoun was consistently reported as one of the possible presidential candidates to succeed President Michel Aoun in the presidential election. In January 2025, Aoun was elected president, thus ending a two-year political crisis.

## Questions

**When was Joseph Aoun born?**  
Joseph Aoun was born on 10 January 1964 in Sin el Fil.

**What positions has Joseph Aoun held?**  
Positions held by Joseph Aoun include: President of Lebanon (since 9 January 2025); Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (2017–2025).

**Where did Joseph Aoun study?**  
Joseph Aoun was educated at Lebanese Army Military Academy, Lebanese American University.

## Related

- [Michel Aoun](https://diginpl.com/people/michel-aoun)
- [Michel Suleiman](https://diginpl.com/people/michel-suleiman)
- [Émile Lahoud](https://diginpl.com/people/emile-lahoud)
- [Fouad Siniora](https://diginpl.com/people/fouad-siniora)
- [Tammam Salam](https://diginpl.com/people/tammam-salam)
- [Amine Gemayel](https://diginpl.com/people/amine-gemayel)
- [Fouad Chehab](https://diginpl.com/people/fouad-chehab)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Joseph Aoun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Aoun) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q29033962](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29033962) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Official Portrait of the President of the Republic of Lebanon (cropped).jpg by Republic of Lebanon (CC BY 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Official_Portrait_of_the_President_of_the_Republic_of_Lebanon_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Joseph Aoun, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Official Portrait of the President of the Republic of Lebanon (cropped).jpg — Republic of Lebanon, CC BY 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Joseph Aoun". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/joseph-aoun. Retrieved 7 November 2026.