Saturday December 27, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he does not plan to immediately follow Israel in recognizing Somaliland as an independent state.
“Everything is under study ... We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions and they turn out to be correct,” Trump told the New York Post in a phone interview.
When asked about Somaliland, Trump appeared dismissive, questioning its international relevance. He also downplayed Somaliland’s proposal to grant the United States access to a port on the Gulf of Aden, responding, “Big deal.”
Israel earlier on Friday became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland’s separation from Somalia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would inform Trump of the decision during a meeting scheduled for Monday.
The recognition drew swift condemnation from Arab countries, the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), all of which rejected Israel’s move as a violation of international law and reaffirmed their support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not received international recognition. It operates as a de facto autonomous administrative, political, and security entity, while the Somali federal government has been unable to reassert authority over the region.
The Federal Government of Somalia continues to reject Somaliland’s claim to statehood, viewing it as an integral part of its territory and warning that any direct engagement or agreements with Somaliland constitute a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and unity.
