Trump says Morocco named Tiznit-Dakhla highway after him: Why it matters

 econews. The announcement by United States President Donald Trump that Morocco had named an important highway after him came as a surprise to many, not least because Rabat itself has remained silent.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump thanked Morocco’s monarch, King Mohammed VI, and said he looked forward to travelling on the “Great Highway one day”.

If confirmed, however, experts say the gesture would be far from surprising. Morocco and the US have long enjoyed close ties, and both of Trump’s administrations were particularly beneficial for Rabat.

Morocco was one of the signatories to the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords, which saw the country normalise relations with US ally Israel in 2020. In return, the Trump administration provided crucial support at the United Nations and through bilateral channels, bringing Rabat closer to securing greater control over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

“So absolutely, it makes perfect sense that Morocco would do something like this for Trump, who single-handedly moved that case forward – the only American administration to give Morocco what it always wanted, which is much clearer support on Western Sahara,” analyst Intissar Fakir of the Middle East Institute told Al Jazeera.

What is more striking, she said, is the timing. The Trump administration sponsored a resolution endorsing Morocco’s position at the UN Security Council (UNSC) in October 2025. So why is the recognition coming now?

“In my opinion, this is tied to Morocco’s ambitions to host the football final of the 2030 World Cup,” Fakir said, referring to the tournament that will be cohosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.