Morocco is back in the spotlight as a possible new home for US military bases, as fears grow that Donald Trump could slash America’s military presence in Europe, an expert told the Financial Times.
The US currently has thousands of troops across at least 38 bases in Europe, one of the most important being in Rota, southern Spain.
Rota is home to 2,800 troops and five destroyers that are part of a missile shield protecting Europe. But Trump’s repeated demands for Europe to pay more for its own defense have sparked real concerns that bases like Rota could be downsized or even closed.
According to Michael Walsh, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Morocco could offer the US a less politically risky alternative to Spain.
“There would be much less risk putting US military bases in Morocco compared to Spain,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Morocco has been mentioned. It has reportedly offered itself as an alternative to Rota in the past.
Morocco built strong ties with Trump during his presidency, especially in 2020 when it normalized relations with Israel, a move seen as aligning closely with US foreign policy under Trump.
Meanwhile, Spain’s left-leaning government, led by Pedro Sánchez, has had a rocky relationship with Trump.
Sánchez has criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and been friendly with China, both of which could rub Trump the wrong way.
Spain also spends less on defense than any other NATO member, which could be another strike against it.
Rota is officially a Spanish facility “used jointly” by the US, which means Washington can’t make moves without Madrid’s approval. That setup may no longer sit well with Trump, especially if he wants more control.
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