Morocco Names Major Highway After Donald Trump

Morocco has renamed the Tiznit-Dakhla expressway as the Donald J. Trump Highway. The 1,055 kilometer route, which cost nearly $1 billion to build, is described as one of the most important road projects in Africa and serves as a strategic link between northern and southern Morocco. The decision was confirmed in a letter dated July 2 from King Mohammed VI to President Donald Trump, which the Moroccan state news agency MAP published over the weekend.

King Mohammed VI stated that the renaming is a personal expression of high regard and a recognition of Trump's 2020 decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. This recognition occurred as part of a deal in which Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel, later joining the Abraham Accords. President Trump thanked the king for the honor in a Truth Social post, stating that he looks forward to traveling the length of the highway.

The highway passes through Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that remains a subject of long term dispute. Morocco controls most of the region, while the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking independence for the Sahrawi people, controls other parts. The UN considers the area a non self governing territory, and the African Union recognizes its independence. Some European governments, including the UK and Spain, have supported Morocco's plan for autonomy over the region.

Outlets with a center right lean framed the event as a symbol of a strong strategic partnership and a recognition of historic diplomatic achievements. In contrast, the center lean outlet framed the event within the context of a long conflict, emphasizing that Morocco occupies a disputed territory and noting that indigenous people have been unable to vote on their own future.