Morocco and United States strengthen ties in Trump’s second term

Morocco and the United States are to strengthen ties amid Donald Trump’s return for a second term in the White House.

Reported by Atalayar in March 3^rd, the partnership could be an opportunity to advance cooperation in various areas such as trade, energy and investment.

The US has lost significant strategic and military positions such as the US military base in Niger following the military coup in 2023. The base played a key role in counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region and was a launch pad for US military air operations.

There is speculation about the possible transfer of the largest US base in Spain, the naval base in Rota, to Morocco as both Russia and China continue to extend their influence over the Sahel region.

Morocco and the US improved their relations during Trump’s first term when the United States recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for the normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco.

However, Trump’s first term was not the first time Morocco and the US engaged in opportunistic diplomacy.  Morocco was the first country to recognise the United States, after its Declaration of Independence in 1776, and it helped to end the American Civil War. In addition, during the Second World War, it cooperated in the liberation of Europe from Nazism and, during the Cold War, it provided logistical and intelligence support to the United States.

However, the introduction of US military into Morocco could worsen relations with neighbouring countries, especially Algeria, whose current government terminated diplomatic ties with Rabat following their normalization ties with Israel.

Rabat, however, appears to be turning westward in their attempt to strengthen ties with the US and their investment deals with Spain. Maghrebi recently reported on the approval of a €750 million loan from Spain to secure the development of the Moroccan rail network.

Atalayar, Maghrebi