President Donald Trump has used a message to King Mohammed VI marking the 27th anniversary of his accession to the throne to restate that the United States “recognises Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara” and supports the kingdom’s autonomy proposal as “the only basis for a just and lasting solution”. The message, made public by the royal cabinet, declares that “any other path prolongs the status quo and is unacceptable” and that “this dispute must end now”. Trump also said he had instructed his administration to encourage economic and social development with Morocco, “including in the territory of Western Sahara”, and listed energy, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and defence as sectors for future cooperation.

The presidential message was accompanied by a reciprocal gesture from Rabat. King Mohammed VI had earlier decided to name the 1,055‑kilometre Tiznit‑Dakhla expressway – described as the longest road infrastructure in Africa – “Autoroute Donald J. Trump”, in gratitude for the 2020 recognition of Moroccan sovereignty. Trump, reacting on his Truth Social platform before the message was officially released, called the naming “an immense honour” and said he hoped to drive the highway soon.

Viewed from Rabat, the message explicitly links three files: recognition of sovereignty, support for the autonomy plan, and a shared security partnership in the Sahel. Mohamed Boubouch, professor of international relations at Mohammed I University in Oujda, told Hespress that the United States now regards Morocco as a “functional firewall” and a factor of stability, pointing to advanced security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and large‑scale exercises such as African Lion. He noted that Morocco has moved beyond being a mere executor of operations to become a leader in training sub‑Saharan security forces using American‑origin programmes, which “reduces the direct burden on Washington”. Samar Khamlichi, professor of political science at Mohammed V University in Rabat, said the message signals a shift from bilateral files to cooperation in managing regional security, with Washington seeing Morocco as a platform for stability in West Africa and the Sahel.

Boubouch placed the Sahel dimension in the context of a redefinition of roles after France’s relative withdrawal, the rise of Russian influence through groups such as the former Wagner, and successive coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. These factors, he argued, are pushing Washington to seek a reliable, stable partner that is not directly military – a description that “applies to Morocco”. The partnership, he added, extends the logic of the Abraham Accords by bundling normalisation, security and stability. The message contains no specific new operational commitments, but Trump stated that the United States “will continue to push toward that goal” of ending the dispute, leaving the dossier in a state of reinforced diplomatic alignment.