King Mohammed VI of Morocco has officially designated a major highway linking Tiznit and Dakhla as “Donald J. Highway. Trump” in recognition of U.S. acknowledgment of Rabat’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region, according to an August 1 report by MAP news agency.
The monarch’s decision follows Washington’s formal recognition of Moroccan authority over Western Sahara in 2020, which the king described as providing “an unprecedented boost to bilateral relations.” In a letter to President Donald Trump, Mohammed VI emphasized the mutual respect between the leaders and framed the naming gesture as an expression of deep appreciation for U.S. diplomatic support.
Trump responded on Truth Social by calling the honor “great” and expressing anticipation to drive the route himself. The Tiznit–Dakhla highway, stretching over 1,055 kilometers along Morocco’s Atlantic coast, serves as a critical artery of the Moroccan Atlantic Initiative—a strategy aimed at positioning Morocco as a trade and logistics hub connecting Europe with Sahel nations via the under-construction Dakhla deepwater port in Western Sahara. The corridor also links northern Morocco with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the self-governing territory claiming sovereignty over Western Sahara.
