Morocco Names Highway in Western Sahara After Trump

Morocco has inaugurated a major highway connecting the southern part of the country to the Moroccan Sahara, officially naming it the "Donald J. Trump Highway." The move is a direct tribute to the former U.S. president's 2020 decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco conveyed his decision to name the highway after Trump in a message dated July 2. According to AFP, the King stated that Trump's "historic 2020 recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara will remain engraved in the memory of Moroccans." He further expressed personal appreciation for this "favor stemming from a belief in the values of friendship and peace."

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Your historic 2020 recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara will remain engraved in the memory of Moroccans.

The newly named highway spans an impressive 1,055 kilometers, making it one of the largest road infrastructure projects in Africa. It connects the cities of Tiznit and Dakhla, passing through Laayoune, which is considered the heart of the Moroccan Sahara. The project, which is still under construction, includes an expanded road to Dakhla and has an estimated cost of approximately 850 million euros ($980 million).

This gesture underscores the strong diplomatic ties between Morocco and the Trump administration. In December 2020, Trump officially announced his support for Morocco's plan to grant autonomy to the Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty. Trump himself acknowledged the honor on his Truth Social platform on July 26, welcoming King Mohammed's decision.

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In recognition of this favor stemming from a belief in the values of friendship and peace, and as an expression of my personal appreciation for you, I have decided to name one of the kingdom's largest highways after Your Excellency.