Key facts
- Morocco named a highway in disputed Western Sahara after Donald Trump.
- Over 70,000 migrants entered the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco.
- Analysts suggest Morocco's close relationship with the Trump administration may have influenced its response to the migrant surge.
- US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, blamed Spain's government for the influx.
- Morocco's strategic interests, including its claim over Western Sahara, are seen as a driving factor.
- The incident highlighted Europe's reliance on North African states for migration control.
Morocco's relationship with the Trump administration has come under renewed scrutiny following a large-scale migrant influx into the Spanish territory of Ceuta. King Mohammed VI confirmed the naming of a $1 billion highway in Western Sahara after US President Donald Trump shortly after the incident, which saw over 70,000 people enter the enclave. Analysts suggest that Morocco, emboldened by its close ties with Washington and its own political objectives concerning Western Sahara, may have influenced or failed to prevent the surge. Riccardo Fabiani of the International Crisis Group noted that while a direct trigger is unclear, Morocco might have acted to "earn brownie points" with its allies, particularly given the Trump administration's antipathy towards Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The US response, which largely blamed Spain, was seen as a potential triumph for Rabat. This event echoes a similar incident in May 2021 when Morocco loosened border controls in response to Spain allowing a Western Sahara independence leader to receive medical treatment. The fragmented EU response highlighted Europe's vulnerability and dependence on North African states for migration control, with Morocco perceived as feeling "emboldened" by its relationship with the US.