Massad Boulos’s Visit to Morocco and Algeria: A Reading of Its Objectives and Hidden Messages

italiatelegraph

* By Abdellah Mechnoune

In a notable move, Massad Boulos, Middle East and Africa advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump, announced his upcoming visit to both Morocco and Algeria. His statements, delivered in a conciliatory tone, called for “bringing viewpoints closer and mending relations between the two countries.” However, while the initiative projects an image of soft diplomacy, it raises profound questions regarding its underlying motives, timing, and the actual forces behind it.

A tense background and precise timing:
This visit takes place within a complex regional context marked by the deterioration of Moroccan-Algerian relations to the point of severance, and the ongoing stagnation and opacity in the UN-led process concerning the Sahara issue—especially amid growing doubts about the approach and effectiveness of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. Meanwhile, Trump’s second administration is preparing to redraw its priorities in North Africa, aiming to balance security, economic, and geopolitical interests.

Massad Boulos: the non-neutral mediator?
Of Lebanese descent, Massad Boulos is a prominent figure in Trump’s circle, maintaining strong ties with Arab Christian pressure groups and Middle Eastern lobbies in Washington. Within Algerian circles, he is portrayed as “understanding of their narrative,” even occasionally depicted as an alternative channel of influence within the Republican White House, raising questions about his neutrality and the true nature of his political agenda.

Parallel diplomatic approach or a new political architecture?
Although the visit does not have an overtly official character, it is undertaken by a significant figure within the U.S. administration at a highly sensitive moment. From this perspective, it can be interpreted either as:

a field-testing initiative ahead of a formal U.S. diplomatic move,

or a prelude to reengineering Moroccan-Algerian relations through a new American vision emphasizing economic integration, cross-border development, and pragmatic engagement in realistic political compromises.

Washington’s stakes in North Africa:
The visit reflects a multidimensional American strategy built around three main pillars: • Preserving the gains from U.S. recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, while creating a political re-engagement path for Algeria without direct pressure.
* Limiting the expansion of Russian and Chinese influence, particularly in Algeria and the Sahel region, through smart diplomatic containment.
* Preparing the ground for new regional alliances based on development, energy cooperation, and border security rather than entrenched sovereignty disputes.

But what is the Trump administration truly concealing?
Talk of “bringing viewpoints closer” hides indirect messages suggesting that Washington seeks to avoid further escalation in the region, while also refusing to retreat from its previous strategic choices. Two main hypotheses emerge:

either Boulos is carrying a soft settlement initiative aimed at bringing Algeria back into the negotiating fold,

or he represents an indirect political pressure approach, through which Washington is testing influence balances and possible rapprochements on a new, realistic basis.

Preliminary conclusion:
Although it may appear at first glance to be a personal initiative, the visit fits into a broader U.S. strategy to reposition its influence in the region and prevent Moroccan-Algerian tensions from reaching the point of no return. Between symbolic diplomacy and geopolitical calculations, it seems that Massad Boulos carries more than he says, possibly paving the way for a new phase in the U.S. approach to the longest-running conflict in North Africa.

italiatelegraph