Washington (Somalia Today) — Somaliland’s hopes of securing recognition from President Donald Trump’s administration have suffered a fresh setback after a congressional source said Washington was not expected to recognise the breakaway region, despite months of lobbying by some of its strongest US supporters.
The source told Middle East Eye there was no sign Trump would move ahead with recognition, even though former US officials Tibor Nagy and J. Peter Pham had helped raise expectations among Somaliland’s leaders and diaspora supporters.
Their own reaction to a new State Department report to Congress appeared to show how badly the document had landed among Somaliland’s advocates in Washington.
Nagy, a former US assistant secretary of state for African affairs and a vocal supporter of Somaliland recognition, called the report an “embarrassment” on X. He said it offered only “bureaucratic blah blah” because its writers were afraid of upsetting Mogadishu.
Pham, another former senior US official and long-time advocate of stronger ties with Somaliland, also criticised the report.
He said Congress had asked the State Department to outline potential areas for improved US engagement with Somaliland but received only “two double-spaced pages” of bureaucratic language that repeated Somalia’s position.
The sharp response from two of Somaliland’s best-known advocates in Washington suggests the report has dealt a political blow to Hargeisa, where officials had hoped Trump’s return to the White House could open a path to recognition.
Recognition hopes fade
The State Department report reaffirmed US recognition of “the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the Federal Republic of Somalia, including Somaliland.
It said Washington maintains a positive and constructive relationship with the Somaliland authorities and continues to explore additional areas of engagement. But it placed that engagement firmly within Somalia’s internationally recognised borders.
That wording goes to the heart of the dispute. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has run its own institutions for more than three decades, but it has not secured broad international recognition.
Middle East Eye reported that a congressional source did not expect Trump to recognise Somaliland, despite lobbying efforts and optimism among Somalilanders following Israel’s formal recognition of the territory in December.
The source said there had “never” been a sign that the president would go through with recognition.
Mogadishu is likely to see the report as a diplomatic gain.
Somalia has strongly opposed any foreign move that treats Somaliland as a separate state, saying the territory remains part of the Federal Republic and that outside engagement with Hargeisa must not undermine Somali sovereignty.
For Somaliland, the report leaves open a more limited path: practical cooperation without recognition.
Security and Berbera
The State Department report still identifies Somaliland as a potential partner on security, trade and investment.
It points to the region’s location near Yemen and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime corridors, linking the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The report says Somaliland could play a role in shared security interests, including the freedom of commercial and military navigation.
It also notes that US Africa Command has regular engagement with Somaliland authorities and is exploring possible areas of cooperation.
Berbera remains central to Somaliland’s pitch. The port, operated by Dubai-based DP World, has attracted international interest due to its location near the Red Sea corridor and its potential as a trade route for landlocked Ethiopia.
Middle East Eye also reported that Israeli and Somaliland officials have discussed the possible establishment of an Israeli base in Berbera.
Somaliland officials have promoted access to minerals, infrastructure and military facilities as part of their case for deeper US ties. They have also argued that the region’s relative stability makes it a valuable partner in a volatile area.
But the State Department report warned that regional security concerns and the unresolved dispute over Somaliland’s status create obstacles for investment, banking and trade. It also cited Somaliland’s refusal to cooperate with national authorities as a challenge.
Advocates vent frustration
The reactions from Nagy and Pham show that the report fell far short of what Somaliland’s supporters had expected from a process mandated by Congress.
Their criticism also reflects wider frustration among pro-Somaliland voices who believed the Trump administration might be more willing to break with Washington’s long-standing “One Somalia” policy.
Instead, the report keeps US policy largely unchanged. It recognises Somaliland’s strategic value but avoids any step that would amount to diplomatic recognition.
That balance may allow Washington to expand practical engagement with Hargeisa in areas such as security, Red Sea navigation and trade. But it also signals that the United States is not ready, at least for now, to follow Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
For Somalia, the report strengthens its diplomatic position at a sensitive moment. For Somaliland, it is a reminder that lobbying, access and strategic geography have not yet overcome the central barrier to recognition.
The angry reaction from Washington’s pro-Somaliland camp suggests they know it.
