World · 19 d ago
Mheidegger · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Trump calls Somaliland a different country, and its capital celebrates
Somaliland is "a totally different country" from Somalia, US President Donald Trump said at a rally in Ohio on Monday, during a joke about renaming Minnesota.
— Donald Trump, US president
Kheyriyadda Square, Hargeisa
Somaliland
Hundreds rallied in Hargeisa on Wednesday, waving US and Somaliland flags. Somaliland's government said the remarks underscore its distinct identity and that it remains set on winning international recognition.
What we know
- Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991
- Only Israel recognizes it, since Dec 2025
Not yet
- Whether the US will formally recognize it
The remarks are not a formal recognition by the US government. Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991, and so far only Israel has recognized it, in December 2025.
Somalia's federal government rejects the region's independence. The African Union also opposes secession, fearing it could encourage breakaway movements elsewhere.
