U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that his administration may recognize Somaliland as an independent state — a step that could redraw Washington’s strategy in the Horn of Africa and counter China, Russia, and armed groups active in the region.
According to Hiiraan Online, Trump made the remarks on August 8 during an Oval Office event when asked about Somaliland, saying: “We are studying this now… we are working on it.”
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized, has offered the U.S. access to its port and air facilities in Berbera, located on the Gulf of Aden opposite Houthi-controlled Yemen. The site sits on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and includes one of Africa’s longest runways, capable of hosting U.S. military aircraft.
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, praised Somaliland as a “vital partner for security and diplomacy,” noting its role in helping curb Beijing and Moscow’s regional ambitions. “Somaliland has been a trusted ally of the United States — a Muslim country in a very dangerous region, showing real courage,” Cruz said.
Somalia’s federal government, however, firmly opposes recognition, insisting Somaliland is part of its sovereign territory — a position that remains official U.S. policy. A State Department spokesperson reiterated: “The United States recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, which includes Somaliland.” Washington, the spokesperson added, is not engaged in active recognition talks.
Still, U.S. officials, including Ambassador Richard Riley, have held multiple meetings with Somaliland leaders this year. Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi is expected to visit Washington soon, having told The Guardian in May that recognition is “on the horizon — not a question of if, but when.”
Somaliland’s newly elected president, Muse Bihi Abdi “Iro,” has also pledged that gaining international recognition will be his administration’s top priority. Speaking in Berbera this month, he said: “Somaliland has waited for decades… much has been achieved before me, but I will be the one to complete this mission.”
As Somalia continues its fight against al-Shabaab and ISIS affiliates, Somaliland is marketing itself as a stable partner for the West, offering not only military access but also rare minerals essential to high-tech industries. Russia and China have also expressed interest in Berbera’s strategic facilities — raising the stakes for any potential U.S. move that could shift alliances across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.