In Morocco, Trump's win revives nationalist hopes for support on Western Sahara

In Morocco, nationalists are celebrating Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, rallying around his support for Morocco's claim over the disputed Western Sahara territory—a central national cause in the North African Kingdom.

In the 5 November election, Donald J. Trump won the presidency, improving upon his 2020 performance in both red and blue states and capturing enough swing states to secure over 270 Electoral College votes.

While his anti-immigration border wall and travel ban targeting Muslim countries haven't exactly endeared him to the US Muslim community, the convicted felon has nonetheless gained significant popularity among Moroccan nationalists, who see Trump—a former TV star once known for firing contestants on "The Apprentice"—as a steadfast ally with Morocco's best interests at heart.

"His election is definitely a good sign for Morocco. I may not agree with all his policies, but I believe he'll prioritise the Sahara issue," said Ali, 25, a Moroccan who aligns himself with the Moorish movement, a nationalist group inspired by Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, rebranded as "Make Morocco Great Again."

The Moorish movement, primarily online, is known for its anti-migrant and pro-normalisation stances with Israel and has gained popularity mainly among Millennial and Gen Z Moroccan men in the diaspora. However, the movement lacks any formal political organisation.

In December 2020, Trump recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for Rabat establishing ties with Israel. The deal was brokered by his senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who also orchestrated the Abraham Accords that normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.

On X (formerly Twitter), Moroccan users displaying the Moorish flag have celebrated Trump's election, viewing it as a sign of a renewed era in Moroccan-American relations. "Of course, I want the war in Gaza to end. But the Democrats have also funded the war, so why support them?" noted another Moorish movement supporter who said he supports a two-state solution.

Several pro-government Moroccan media outlets joined in the celebration as well. "Re-election of Donald Trump: An opportunity for Morocco," read a headline from Barlamane, mere minutes after Trump's victory was announced.

Even some Moroccan-American voters leaned toward the Republican candidate in this election, not only for nationalist reasons but also out of concern about "progressive propaganda" in the US.

"They're teaching our kids about these weird pronouns and same-sex relationships. We're Muslims.(...) It's unacceptable," Touria, 46, a Moroccan-American from New Jersey, told The New Arab.

In his final days in office, after losing the 2020 election, Trump took a series of controversial decisions that the Biden administration would later need to reassess.

Among them was a promised American consulate in Dakhla, a city within the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Under Biden, construction of this diplomatic building was paused without explanation.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the UN in the absence of a definitive settlement. 

For half a century, Morocco, which views the region as an integral part of its territory, has been in conflict with the independence movement Polisario Front, supported by Algeria.

Rabat advocates for an autonomy plan under its exclusive sovereignty, while the Polisario calls for a self-determination referendum under the auspices of the UN, agreed upon during a 1991 ceasefire but never materialised.

In recent years, Morocco has ramped up its diplomatic efforts to solidify its claim over the territory, urging countries to open consulates in the region as a show of support. Only two Western countries, The US and France, have pledged to establish diplomatic representations there but have yet to follow through.