This letter from Moroccan King Mohammed VI is the first official confirmation that Morocco is renaming its major highway after former U.S. President Donald Trump.
While Trump himself celebrated the renaming in a recent Truth Social post last week, the government had not yet issued an announcement. In a surprise move, the king’s letter—dated 2 July and released over the weekend—clarified that the change is a personal expression of his admiration for the U.S. President.
The highway, once called the Tiznit‑Dakhla route, stretches 1,055km (655 miles) from Morocco’s north coast to the edge of Western Sahara, an area most of which the country considers “southern provinces.”
Western Sahara remains a disputed territory, with the Polisario Front controlling parts of the region while the United Nations continues to label it a non‑self‑governing territory and push for a referendum on independence that has yet to materialise.
King Mohammed vowed that the road would forever be “etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation” and praised Trump’s “historic recognition” of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, a move that dates back to the Trump era when the U.S. formally acknowledged the claim as part of a normalization agreement with Israel.
“Our relations have always been rooted in close friendship…but they have never been as vigorous and fruitful as during your two presidential terms,” the monarch added.
During the post, Trump added that the construction cost nearly $1 billion (£740 m) and expressed his wish to drive the entire length of the newly‑named highway.
The decision has sparked commentary across social media, echoing longstanding controversies over Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara and the broader geopolitical dynamics between the U.S., the African Union, and European nations.
