Trump thanks Morocco's King Mohammed VI for naming highway in his honor

Former US President Donald Trump has thanked Morocco's King Mohammed VI for naming the Tiznit-Dakhla highway after him, describing the gesture as a "great honor."

Trump made the remarks in a post on the Truth Social platform, where he also expressed his eagerness to travel the more than 1,000-kilometer route.

In his post, Trump said: "Thank you to King Mohammed VI of Morocco for this tremendous honor. It is a great privilege! I look forward to traveling the entire length of this magnificent highway one day, and I hope it will be soon."

According to Morocco's Hespress newspaper, the Tiznit-Dakhla highway is a strategic project connecting the north and south of the country over a distance of 1,055 kilometers. It strengthens links within the southern provinces and supports the royal initiative to give Sahel countries access to the Atlantic coast.

The highway passes through the cities of Guelmim, Tan-Tan, Laayoune, and Boujdour, ending in Dakhla, according to Moroccan outlet Belpresse. The project has a total cost of around 10 billion dirhams (approximately 880 million euros), and is set to be fully operational in January 2025 after years of construction.

The project is one of the largest infrastructure developments in Morocco's southern provinces, aiming to improve road safety, reduce travel times, and boost commercial links between the north and south.

Trump and Western Sahara

Trump recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara during his first term and worked to resolve the issue, prompting Morocco to name the highway in his honor.

In December 2020, the White House announced US recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over all of Western Sahara, supporting Morocco's autonomy proposal as the basis for resolving the dispute.

Trump is expected to reaffirm this recognition and support for Morocco's autonomy plan in August 2025.