In an interview with the French daily «L'Opinion» on Sunday, the Algerian President took the opportunity to commend the new occupant of the White House. He affirmed that relations with Donald Trump have been positive, dating back to Trump's first term. «When I was elected in 2019, he sent me a congratulatory letter just hours after the results, whereas President Macron took four days to acknowledge my election», he remarked. The Algerian leader recalled that during the colonial era, the United States had placed the Algerian issue on the United Nations agenda. In recognition of this support, President Ahmed Ben Bella visited Washington in October 1962, four months after Algeria gained independence, for discussions with American President John Kennedy. Tebboune also highlighted that the United States is the only country in the world with a city named after Emir Abdelkader. He praised American companies' projects in Algeria, especially in the hydrocarbons sector. In contrast to the «warnings» he claimed to have issued to Emmanuel Macron regarding Western Sahara, the Algerian President did not address Donald Trump's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara on December 10, 2020. President Tebboune refrained from condemning or criticizing Trump's intention to «cleanse Gaza of its population» of Palestinians, describing the US President's expression as «unfortunate». Notably, as early as September 2024, Algeria prepared for Donald Trump's potential return to power by hiring a lobbying firm in the United States with ties to both the Republicans and Israel to defend its interests. Following Trump's victory in the November 5 presidential elections, the Polisario Front also adjusted its rhetoric towards the 47th President of the United States. Even its supporters in Spain have followed suit, now accusing Morocco of misleading Donald Trump in 2020.
