Morocco's King confirms naming of major highway after Trump
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has officially confirmed that a major highway has been named in honour of US President Donald Trump. The road, which passes through the disputed Western Sahara region, was previously known as the Tiznit-Dakhla highway.
A letter from Morocco's King Mohammed VI, published by the state press agency, confirms that the country has named a major highway after US President Donald Trump. In the letter, the king described the rename as "a personal expression of my high regard".
Trump earlier thanked the king on social media for the honour, but Moroccan authorities had not made a parallel announcement at the time. The letter, dated 2 July but released over the weekend, now provides official confirmation.
The highway was formerly called the Tiznit-Dakhla road. It runs through Western Sahara, most of which Morocco occupies and claims as its own, while parts are controlled by the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking independence for the Sahrawi people.
The naming comes against a backdrop of US recognition of Morocco's claim over Western Sahara, which Washington granted in 2020 during Trump's first term. That recognition was part of a deal in which Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel.
In his letter, King Mohammed highlighted what he called Trump's "historic recognition" of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, saying it would "forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation". He also noted that bilateral relations had never been as "vigorous and fruitful" as during Trump's two presidential terms.
The monarch referred to the 1,055km (655-mile) highway as a "strategic axis" linking the north and south of Morocco. Morocco refers to Western Sahara as its "southern provinces".
Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the United Nations. The dispute over it has lasted five decades, making it one of Africa's longest conflicts.
The UN has consistently called for a solution, including a possible referendum, but the region's indigenous people have never been allowed to vote on their own future. The African Union recognises Western Sahara's independence.
European governments have generally avoided taking sides until recently, but some – including the UK and Spain – have backed Morocco's plan to grant autonomy to Western Sahara without allowing independence.
In his Truth Social post about the renaming, Trump included a video about the road, saying it cost nearly $1bn (£740m) to build. He wrote that he looked forward to travelling the entire length of the highway "hopefully soon".
