The longstanding alliance between the United States and Morocco has been prominently displayed by both parties. This was exemplified earlier this year when Morocco declared its intention to become the first African country to join Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, as well as through a congratulatory message from Trump celebrating King Mohammed VI’s 27-year reign.
This week brought another significant development. In the wake of Spain’s struggles to manage a sudden surge and quick return of over 70,000 individuals into Ceuta, the Moroccan king revealed the naming of a $1 billion highway adjacent to the contested region of Western Sahara in honor of Trump.
The strengthening of these ties has sparked renewed examination, particularly as the causes of the recent mass border crossing into the small Spanish territory remain unclear. Riccardo Fabiani, the director of the North Africa project for the International Crisis Group, stated, “There is sufficient evidence to suggest that Morocco may be involved, but the lack of a clear trigger remains puzzling.”
Some analysts have speculated that Spain’s recent warming of relations with Algeria, Morocco’s rival, could have provoked this reaction. However, Fabiani offered a potentially more plausible interpretation involving the United States. “While it is difficult to prove, it is conceivable that Morocco may have acted to gain favor with its allies, given the close relationship between Morocco and the current U.S. administration,” he remarked.
Though it is unlikely that Morocco orchestrated the surge into Ceuta, Fabiani noted that its relationship with the Trump administration and the king’s aim to keep Morocco’s claim to Ceuta prominent might have influenced its response to rapidly spreading online rumors about the Spanish border being opened.
“Certainly, Moroccan security forces were monitoring those discussions,” he explained. “It appears there may have been a decision made to observe how the situation would unfold.”
The result was a global news story as tens of thousands of individuals crossed one of the EU’s two land borders with Africa, prompting Spain to scramble for solutions. The images captured the attention of far-right groups.
In the United States, Vice President JD Vance and the State Department attributed the influx to the Socialist-led Spanish government, while Trump cautioned that electing Democrats could result in similar issues on a larger scale. Notably absent from their comments was any mention of Morocco or its potential involvement.
The Trump administration has consistently expressed its disdain for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose refusal to allow U.S. use of its airbases during the Iran conflict, noncompliance with the 5% defense spending goal, and vocal criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza have made Spain one of the least favored EU nations for this administration.
This American reaction appears to have been advantageous for Rabat, whose relationship with the U.S. president dates back to his initial term, when Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for Trump’s recognition of its sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Since then, Morocco’s influential monarch has greatly intensified diplomatic efforts. Fabiani noted, “Morocco has made significant efforts to engage with key decision-makers within the administration, including the president, to ensure continued support for its autonomy plan regarding Western Sahara.”
A recent U.S. congressional report hinted that the relationship might enable Morocco to assert claims beyond Western Sahara, referring to Ceuta as “Spanish-administered” instead of a part of Spain, as it has been classified since 1580.
In the days following the border influx, interest in Ceuta surged among individuals connected to both Trump and the Israeli government, according to Haizam Amirah-Fernández, director of the Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies in Madrid. “They have been discussing Ceuta continuously, which is quite remarkable,” he noted.
This incident underscored Rabat’s willingness to employ “hybrid tactics to achieve political goals,” Amirah-Fernández remarked, drawing a parallel to May 2021 when Morocco eased border controls, allowing over 8,000 people to enter Ceuta in response to Spain permitting a Western Sahara independence leader to travel for medical treatment.
In this latest case, as nearly ten times as many individuals crossed into Ceuta, it led to a blame game across the EU instead of a collective effort to address the situation, despite the bloc being Morocco’s largest trading partner and foreign investor. “The reactions from various EU governments ultimately aligned with what the White House desired – the fracturing of solidarity among European partners,” Amirah-Fernández stated.
Moroccan officials have denied any allegations of complicity in the border situation. At the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis in Rabat, there is a consensus that relations with the U.S. are currently at a “golden era.” However, Said Saddiki, a senior fellow at the institute, pointed out that Morocco’s approach remains pragmatic.
“Policymakers in Morocco understand President Trump’s transactional approach and are working to maintain the country’s strategic independence,” Saddiki stated in an email, referencing efforts to sustain partnerships with the EU, China, and Gulf states among others.
“The relationship with the Trump administration has improved Morocco’s international standing, but it has not yet led to…”
