The bond between Rabat and Washington remains robust, and Morocco has chosen a profoundly symbolic gesture to acknowledge this. King Mohammed VI’s decision to name a significant highway after Donald Trump publicly demonstrates this strong relationship. This new expressway links the southern part of the nation to the contested Western Sahara territory, a region claimed by Sahrawi separatists, as announced by the official Moroccan agency MAP.
The Tiznit-Dakhla expressway has been officially designated the “Donald J. Trump Highway,” according to MAP. This declaration was made public via a letter dispatched by the King to the former American president on July 2nd.
Morocco’s diplomatic gratitude
In his correspondence, King Mohammed VI expressed his profound gratitude to the former White House occupant for his “historic recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty in 2020 over ‘its Sahara,’” an act he stated would “forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans.” The King elaborated that this infrastructure, stretching an impressive 1,055 kilometers, stands as “the longest road infrastructure in all of Africa” and serves as a tribute to Trump’s “friendship and peace.”
Donald Trump’s December 2020 endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara was a pivotal move, made in exchange for Morocco normalizing its diplomatic ties with Israel. Historically, Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975. While Morocco controls the majority of this vast, resource-rich desert territory, the United Nations still classifies it as a non-self-governing territory. For five decades, Rabat has been embroiled in a conflict over the region with the Polisario Front, which is supported by Algeria.
Trump’s personal interest in the highway
In a recent message commemorating the King’s 27th accession anniversary, also published by MAP, Trump reiterated his unwavering support for Rabat’s proposal concerning Western Sahara. The United States maintains that Morocco’s plan represents “the only basis for a just and lasting solution,” and that “any other path prolongs the status quo and is unacceptable.”
On July 26th, Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his enthusiasm for the highway dedication. He posted, “Thank you to His Royal Highness Mohammed VI. […] What a huge honor! I look forward to one day traveling this great highway in its entirety, I hope it will be soon!” However, Rabat has not yet provided any official confirmation regarding his travel intentions.