Morocco, the bridge to "Peace for Prosperity": The keys to the strategic alliance with the Trump Administration

 _Peace to Prosperity: How Did Morocco Become a Bridge for Peace Under the Leadership of the Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, from the Perspective of the U.S. Administration? White House Correspondent Reveals the Secrets of the Partnership with Washington_

An exclusive interview between *ZAKARIYA BELLAHRACH*, Journalist at _MAROC NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE_, PhD in Diplomatic Studies, with *Mr. Daniele Compatangelo*, White House Correspondent, President of the White House Foreign Correspondents Association and the White House Foreign Media Group, White House Correspondent for _Shams-Tv_, _Pulse_, and Italy’s _LA7_ and _Mediaset_ networks.

Introduction: 

 

From inside the corridors of the White House, Mr. Daniele Compatangelo monitors the contours of American foreign policy in the second term of President Donald Trump. In this exclusive interview, he reveals how Washington has reshaped the balances of the Middle East, and the position of Morocco, under the leadership of the Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee and a founding member of the Board of Peace, as a strategic partner in the "Doctrine of the Deal."

---

_1. As someone who follows daily from inside the White House, how do you assess the impact of the return of U.S. President Donald Trump on the architecture of balances of power in the Middle East? And are we facing a new approach that goes beyond the “Deal of the Century” toward broader security arrangements that encompass the files of peace, energy, the economy, and maritime security?_

_A:_ I have covered several administrations at the White House, and almost all presidents were professional politicians. Either former governors, or legislators in Congress. Look at Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton when she ran, or Bill Clinton who was a governor.

President Trump is a different case. He is a businessman first. And here we must understand a precise point: behind every president there are businessmen who fund campaigns and wield enormous influence. But Trump also funded himself. Therefore, when he looks at the Middle East, he sees it within the context of commercial and economic interests that benefit both countries.

He looks at Europe, for example, as a commercial arrangement that is no longer very viable from his point of view. The Middle East possesses enormous potential, but the fundamental problem is instability. Trump is reshaping the geopolitical system and the world order. The goal is to completely reshape the political geography of the Middle East, and one of the President’s objectives is also to expand the "Abraham Accords" first to Saudi Arabia, then Lebanon, and so on.

The primary focus of America in the region is enhancing a positive American presence. And this does not come only through news and media institutions, but also comes through economic cooperation. And this is what we see with the Saudis, with the Emiratis, with the Iraqis, with Kurdistan. And what will happen next in the Gaza Strip will be the same thing. The approach goes beyond the "Deal of the Century" toward comprehensive security and economic arrangements, but it is conditional on removing the Iranian obstacle.

---

_2. After the American strike that brought Iran to the negotiating table, the White House formed a negotiations committee led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to manage the ceasefire. From inside the corridors of the White House, in your view, how did Washington leverage its military superiority to impose three non-negotiable conditions on Tehran: first, a final and unconditional halt to the nuclear weapons program under direct American supervision; second, an immediate and permanent opening of the Strait of Hormuz; and third, the dismantling of deterrence capabilities that threatened the security of navigation and American interests? And did the role of the negotiations committee led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff constitute a practical translation of the “Peace Through Strength” doctrine adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump? After Washington compelled Iran to accept the opening of the Strait and abandon its nuclear ambitions, do you consider this outcome a “strategic taming” of Iran that redraws the balances of deterrence in the Middle East for decades to come?_

_A:_ Iran brought a great deal of instability. The Iranian leadership, from Washington’s point of view, is religiously fanatical. I met with Secretary Rubio for five years in the Senate before he became Secretary of State, and he always repeated that "Iran is evil" because it follows a theology, follows a religion that sows division, and sees the West and Israel as the greatest enemy.

The problem with Iran consists of 3 files: first, proxies like the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Second, the enrichment of nuclear uranium. Iran is enriching uranium not for civilian use, but for military use. And from the reports I review and from the press briefings I attended at the Pentagon, they now have missile capability that reaches Rome, London, Paris, Berlin in Europe, and soon also the United States.

The President is trying to adopt a different approach. Trump has an approach grounded in mutual benefit, and it is also a diplomatic approach, but it is based on the principle of "give and take." The situation is very delicate and very diplomatic. The President, through "Peace Through Strength" but also through creating commercial and economic frameworks, is trying to change the future outcome with the Iranians. He does not separate strategic strength from economic prosperity. He wants to apply military pressure, and entice economically, to force Tehran to choose.

But most likely, the war with Iran will continue because the differences are too many. And the problem is that if the President starts this war, he may not be able to end it. Therefore, what we hear from the administration is that they may carry out precise and specific strikes. But after that, the matter will return to the next President. What will most likely happen is more strikes, precise strikes in the near future. And after that they will try to find some kind of agreement.

Nothing can be accomplished unless there is a regime change, or at least a government in Iran that "minds its own business." Look at North Korea for example, they are busy with their business with Russia and do not bother anyone else. But this does not happen with Iran, because it wants to test Israel and test America. It was a big challenge for the President, and he was courageous to do it because it was not easy to start this war. But also, for the sake of Israel and for the sake of peace in the region with Lebanon, the Iranians must be removed from the equation and the funding of proxies must be stopped. Otherwise nothing will happen.

Therefore, there is no clear answer yet about the outcome of the war in Iran. But the President’s goal is to expand the "Abraham Accords," and the Iranians stand in the way. They will not fix Gaza in this situation until the Iranian leadership is eliminated and removed. Because there are religious fanatics in Iran. This is what Rubio always said.

---

_3. You have covered from the White House the most critical files, including the tension with Iran. Do you believe that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump possesses a clear plan to prevent the region from sliding into a wider war in the Middle East? And within the same context, what role can the “Board of Peace” play in containing escalation and international conflicts?_

_A:_ Previous American presidents were not able to do it. Look at Obama, he made that nuclear deal and thought everything was fine. He did not want to get involved because he knew that the task of getting rid of the Iranian leadership was very difficult. The culture and mentality there are completely different from any Western mentality, and even from many Middle Eastern cultures.

I believe the presidency does not have an easy way out, because dealing with the Iranians is literally exhausting. They are dangerous, and they have Russia and China behind them. The negotiations will not be easy at all. The Chinese will be a party to them, and there is also Russian intelligence. The matter is extremely difficult because the Russians and the Chinese are doing business with the Iranians. And the Iranians have proven that they are somewhat strong, because they were not defeated one hundred percent due to Russian and Chinese support from behind.

What Trump is looking for is the support of the Chinese. Because China is a major importer of Iranian oil. And with this blockade, prices have risen a lot for the Chinese. Trump is also looking for the support of President Xi Jinping for him in concluding this arrangement, a potential arrangement with Iran. He is going to China in two weeks, so anything can happen before the two weeks or immediately after them. But most likely, if he does not get the support of the Chinese, the war will flare up again.

So everything is still on the table, but there is no clear end. The military option seems the most appropriate at the current moment, but we must also see the state of instability that was brought to the Western world.

---

_4. We know that Washington recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara during the first term of U.S. President Donald Trump, in addition to adopting autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole and realistic solution within Resolution 2797 in the United Nations Security Council. From your position inside the White House, how do you view the evolution of the Moroccan-American strategic partnership across the various fields of military, security, and economic cooperation with Rabat, considering that Morocco, historically, is a major ally and strategic partner outside NATO for the United States of America?_

_A:_ The President views the relationship with allies within the context of commercial and economic interests that benefit both countries. In the framework of the Moroccan-American partnership under this administration, it is important to enhance the commercial partnership alongside military and security cooperation. The partnership should not be limited to the acquisition of military equipment from Washington, but should also include mutual investment in the United States, in a manner that serves the prosperity of both nations.

Because this administration is an "America First" administration. No one will put America first but itself. And Morocco, as a civilizational and economic bridge, cooperates with the United States to enhance energy security and diversify markets. For the United States of America, Morocco is a principal center and a strategic gateway to Europe and Africa. Its unique position between the two continents makes it an ideal platform for trilateral partnerships that serve investment, trade, and the economy, and connect continents in a way that achieves mutual interests.

The President does not view allies as they were before, like the transatlantic alliance or the traditional partnership with Morocco or the Saudis. The President views allies within the framework of mutual strategic and economic partnership. Now he is helping the Gulf, because the Saudis and the Emiratis are investing in the United States. The lesson is clear: the relationship with Washington in the Trump era is anchored in the gateway of mutual prosperity. The acquisition of defense systems is important, but mutual investment is what reinforces the principle of "America First" and transforms the historic strategic ally into an indispensable partner in the President’s vision for mutual benefit.

---

_5. King Mohammed VI combines his capacity as Commander of the Faithful and his chairmanship of the Al-Quds Committee. From the angle of your coverage of American foreign policy, how does the White House view this dual role? And do you consider the spiritual diplomacy and the religious and political leadership of the Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, a genuine lever for supporting peace efforts in the Middle East and for enhancing dialogue and security at the international level?_

_A:_ His Majesty possesses wisdom and a far-sighted vision regarding what enhances the commercial and strategic relationship with the United States. But the most important role that Morocco can play is to be a "bridge." Morocco has a good relationship with Italy and the Mediterranean countries, and it can also be a bridge between the Islamic world and the Christian world, because it has religious diversity and coexistence.

In the thorny files of the Middle East. Look at Israel, it is a war of religions with Gaza, with Iran. The same thing is happening with the Saudis. Morocco, since it stands in a position of constructive neutrality, can step forward to build a stronger relationship between America and the Middle East, and to bring ideas, proposals, and initiatives. This is exactly what President Trump will value.

The vision that the Kingdom of Morocco may contemplate under the leadership of His Majesty proceeds from a strategic question: how can the countries of North Africa be an effective partner to the United States within the framework of mutual interests and shared prosperity? At a time when Europe has not invested enough, despite the billions of dollars that America invested there, the answer emerges in commercial and economic arrangements that serve both parties. This is a different president, not an ordinary president. It is an "America First" administration.

The relationship is no longer measured by the acquisition of defense systems only. President Trump values a partner who invests in America, opens markets, and is an honest broker who has initiatives to solve the crises of the region. Morocco is qualified for this role, by virtue of its distinguished position as a principal center between Europe and Africa, its relations, and its deeply rooted experience in coexistence. If it plays this role, it will elevate from a historic strategic ally to a "partner of mutual interest" in the President’s strategic vision.

Conclusion: The Position of King Mohammed VI in the Trump Doctrine

 

In this equation, the Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee and a founding member of the Board of Peace, occupies an exalted position with the American administration. The strength of Moroccan-American relations under the leadership of His Majesty and his counterpart President Donald Trump lies in this transformation: from a historic strategic ally outside NATO to an indispensable "partner of mutual interest" in promoting peace for prosperity. The spiritual diplomacy and the religious and political leadership of His Majesty constitute a genuine lever for supporting peace efforts in the Middle East, based on the model of coexistence that His Majesty sponsors, and on his role as a bridge between worlds. If Morocco succeeds in playing the role of the wise broker, it will gain an advanced position in a new world order that President Trump is reshaping.

_End of Interview._