President Trump Says “Great Highway” In Africa To Bear His Name

“Thank you to Highly Respected Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco — Such a Great Honor! I look forward to traveling the entire length of this Great Highway someday, hopefully soon! President DONALD J. TRUMP” pic.twitter.com/WSYZoGFxzB

— Department of State (@StateDept) July 26, 2026

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Morocco hasn’t officially confirmed the naming, and a government spokesman didn’t respond to a request for comment. The move would further cement the US leader’s close connections with a country that’s long been one of Washington’s top allies in North Africa.

The Western Sahara, a resource-rich area roughly the size of the UK, has been disputed between Morocco and an Algeria-backed armed independence movement since colonial ruler Spain withdrew in 1975. It’s largely controlled by Morocco, whose claim won Trump’s endorsement as part of a deal that saw the kingdom re-establish ties with Israel.

France and Spain later followed suit, accelerating a development boom that includes a $1.3 billion deep-sea port, tourist resorts and green-energy facilities. Hollywood movie director Christopher Nolan filmed parts of The Odyssey around Dakhla last year, earning the ire of the Polisario Front, an armed group that claims to represent the indigenous Sahrawi people and seeks a referendum on independence.

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New: King Mohammed VI of Morocco has named its 1,055-km highway through the Sahara Desert the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” pic.twitter.com/VTZTGeDabM

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) July 27, 2026

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Stretching from Tiznit in southern Morocco to Dakhla, the highway passes through Guelmim, Tan-Tan and Laayoune, dramatically improving road connectivity to Morocco’s southern provinces while strengthening access to Mauritania and the wider West African market.

The highway is one of Morocco’s most strategic infrastructure investments in recent years.

Beyond easing domestic transport, it is expected to reduce freight costs, improve road safety and cut travel times for goods moving between Europe, Morocco and West Africa. It also forms a critical link to the planned Dakhla Atlantic Port, a multibillion-dollar deep-water port that Rabat hopes will become one of Africa’s leading logistics hubs.

Together, the expressway and port are designed to support Morocco’s broader strategy of positioning itself as a commercial bridge between European markets and fast-growing African economies.

The project also complements Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, which seeks to improve access to global markets for landlocked Sahel countries by providing alternative trade routes through Morocco’s Atlantic coastline.

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