Royal letter confirms highway named after Donald Trump
In a formal letter published by Morocco’s state press agency, King Mohammed VI announced that a major 1,055‑km highway will now carry the name of former US president Donald Trump. The decision follows a Thank‑you post by Trump on his Truth Social account last week, though no official announcement from Moroccan authorities had been released.
The road, which once ran under the name Tiznit‑Dakhla, stretches from the Moroccan capital north toward the contested Western Sahara—a region Morocco claims as its southern provinces, while the Polisario Front—arguing for Sahrawi independence—controls parts of the area.
In 2020, during Trump’s first administration, the United States formally recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory as part of a broader agreement that normalized relations between Morocco and Israel. The King described Trump’s "historic recognition" as a time‑universal tribute, saying it would be remembered across generations.
The highway’s engineer report revealed a cost of almost $1 billion—about 740 million pounds—to build it. Trump, in his social media post, remarked that he “look[s] forward to traveling the entire length of this great highway someday, hopefully soon.”
Why this matters – the move highlights the strategic and symbolic importance Morocco places on its links to the United States, while also underscoring the enduring dispute over the Western Sahara. As the region remains a flashpoint in African politics, this homage may further lock Morocco’s position as a key regional ally of the US.
