Trump ‘not ready' to recognize Somaliland

By Newsflash Writer and Agencies

US President Donald Trump has said he is in no hurry to follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recognising Somaliland’s independence, insisting he must first “study” the proposal being pushed by his longtime Middle East ally on behalf of the breakaway region.

Israel on Friday, December 26, became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland’s separation from Somalia, with Netanyahu pledging to personally relay the decision to Trump ahead of their meeting scheduled for Monday.

“I’ll communicate to President Trump your willingness and desire to join the Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu told Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi during a video call marking the diplomatic milestone.

However, Trump signalled that the recognition issue was not a priority and said his discussions with Netanyahu would instead focus on Gaza, where he brokered an October ceasefire and now chairs a UN-approved Board of Peace overseeing implementation and reconstruction.

“Just say, ‘No, comma, not at this —,’” Trump told The Post in a phone interview, before simplifying his response on Somaliland to: “Just say, ‘No.’”

‘Everything is under study’

Trump appeared dismissive of Somaliland’s lobbying efforts, questioning its global profile while speaking from his golf course in West Palm Beach.

“Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” he asked.

He also downplayed Somaliland’s offer to join the Abraham Accords — the framework under which Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates normalised relations with Israel — and brushed off the region’s proposal to host a US naval base near the entrance to the Red Sea.

Asked about the offer of port access on the strategically vital Gulf of Aden, Trump replied curtly: “Big deal.”

“Everything is under study,” he added. “We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions and they turn out to be correct.”

Despite Trump’s caution, Somaliland’s prospects received a boost last month when Gen. Dagvin Anderson, the head of US Africa Command, visited the territory, raising local optimism about closer ties with Washington. Some of Trump’s influential MAGA allies have also begun backing the idea.

Among them is Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), a key Trump supporter in Congress, who is sponsoring the proposed “Republic of Somaliland Independence Act,” alongside Reps. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.).

Somalia tensions and US politics

Trump has recently launched repeated attacks on Somalia and Somali immigrants, accusing them of draining US taxpayer resources, particularly in Minnesota. State officials have countered by blaming Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who served as Kamala Harris’ running mate in last year’s election.

Somaliland, a former British protectorate, has operated as a de facto independent state since 1991, separating from the formerly Italian-administered rest of Somalia. It has established a relatively stable democratic system with peaceful transfers of power, in stark contrast to Somalia’s central government in Mogadishu, which has been plagued by decades of conflict.

Mogadishu is also the birthplace of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a vocal opponent of Somaliland’s independence. “As long as I’m in Congress, no one will take over the seas belonging to the nation of Somalia,” she has said.

While Somaliland maintains strong ties with Ethiopia and the UAE, several influential regional players, including Egypt and Turkey, continue to oppose its quest for recognition.

Trump, however, has previously left the door open. In August, he said his administration was considering the issue, remarking: “We’re looking into that right now. Good question, actually. And another complex one, as you know. But we’re working on that right now — Somaliland.”