Moroccan King, Trump Trade Honors for Work on Israel Normalization

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and US President Donald Trump traded honors for their work on an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Morocco.

Morocco’s ambassador to the United States, Princess Lalla Joumala, presented Trump with the Order of Muhammad, an award given only to heads of state, Reuters reported. It was bestowed during a private Oval Office ceremony, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the White House said in a statement issued on Friday that Trump awarded the king the Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, a rarely-awarded, prestigious decoration that can only be bestowed by the president, typically to chiefs of state or heads of government of other countries. The Moroccan ambassador accepted the award on behalf of the king.

“Over his more than two decades of leadership, King Mohammed VI has advanced the deep and enduring partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States across all domains.  His vision and personal courage — including his decision to resume ties with the State of Israel — have positively reshaped the landscape of the Middle East and North Africa and ushered in a new era of security and prosperity for both our countries and the world,” the White House statement said.

Trump recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a controversial move, in order to move the normalization deal forward.