Sen. John Fetterman becomes the first Democrat to publicly support U.S. recognition of Somaliland, as lawmakers debate security, diplomacy and regional stability in the Horn of Africa
WASHINGTON — A growing but still divided group of U.S. lawmakers is pressing the United States to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, following Israel’s decision to do so — a move supporters frame as a strategic recalibration in a volatile region, but critics warn could destabilize fragile alliances in the Horn of Africa.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has emerged as the first Democrat in Congress to publicly endorse U.S. recognition of Somaliland, aligning himself with a small bloc of Republicans who argue that formal recognition would advance American security, trade and counterterrorism interests.
“As an unapologetic friend of Israel, I fully support their decision on Somaliland,” Fetterman said in a statement. “I support the U.S. doing the same.”
Fetterman’s position places him alongside long-standing Republican advocates such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who has repeatedly urged U.S. administrations to recognize Somaliland’s independence from Somalia.
“Recognizing Somaliland isn’t charity — it’s strategy,” Cruz said in a statement on early this month. “It aligns with America’s security interests and the ‘America First’ doctrine by strengthening an ally that shares our values in a region vital to global trade and counterterrorism.”
Cruz last year pressed President Donald Trump to take that step, arguing that Somaliland’s location along the Gulf of Aden and near the Red Sea makes it a critical partner amid rising threats from extremist groups and expanding Chinese influence.
A democratic outlier in a turbulent region
Supporters of recognition point to Somaliland’s relative political stability since it restored independence in 1991, including what U.S. lawmakers describe as credible elections and peaceful transfers of power.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, praised Israel’s decision and urged Washington to follow suit.
“Somaliland is a functioning democracy, as demonstrated by the peaceful transfer of power more than a year ago following elections — a rare, positive example in the Horn of Africa,” Smith said. He cited the strategic value of the deep-water port of Berbera and Somaliland’s close ties with Taiwan as additional reasons for U.S. recognition.
A bipartisan group of House Republicans introduced legislation last June to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence, including Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) and Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.). Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and John Rose (R-Tenn.) later joined as cosponsors.
Resistance from both parties
Despite the growing chorus, many lawmakers in both parties remain unconvinced, warning that recognition could complicate U.S. efforts to stabilize Somalia and undermine regional counterterrorism cooperation.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said he does not support recognition “yet,” pointing to concerns about Somalia’s stability and the long-running fight against al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab.
“We’ve done a lot to try to stabilize Somalia over the years,” Lankford said. “You don’t want to see Somalia collapse. You want to see Somalia succeed.”
Lankford added that Somalia’s internal struggles have had spillover effects on U.S. allies such as Kenya.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said the issue merits careful review but suggested Washington should move cautiously.
“We should take a close look at it, but I don’t know that we should be the second in the world to do it,” Blumenthal said. “Israel’s reasons for recognition, while deserving of respect, probably are different from what ours should be.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who sponsored bipartisan legislation in 2022 to expand U.S.-Somaliland engagement without recognizing independence, also described recognition as premature.
“There are some diplomatic issues that have to play out there yet,” Rounds said.
That legislation, portions of which were incorporated into the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, directed the Pentagon and State Department to study deeper cooperation with Somaliland, including security and port access.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a co-sponsor of the bill, said the U.S. should continue engaging Somaliland while respecting Somalia’s territorial integrity.
“I don’t think that the United States should be essentially getting in the middle of that,” Van Hollen said.
Strategic gains — and strategic risks
Outside Capitol Hill, analysts and former military leaders say the debate hinges on a delicate tradeoff between potential military advantages and the risk of igniting regional tensions.
Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan (Ret.), a former commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, said expanded U.S. access to Somaliland could bolster counterterrorism operations and maritime security near what he called a “critical choke point” for global trade.
“Having options is always good for the military,” Donegan said, citing concerns about ISIS and broader extremist threats in East Africa and the Red Sea corridor.
He also pointed to China’s expanding footprint across Africa, arguing that deeper engagement with Somaliland could give Washington greater leverage. Still, Donegan stopped short of endorsing formal recognition.
“Some of these things, including access to the port in Berbera, potentially can be worked out without declaring Somaliland independent,” he said.
Donegan warned that recognition could strain relations with key U.S. partners in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates has quietly supported Somaliland’s de facto independence, while Saudi Arabia has strongly backed Somalia’s territorial unity.
“The harder problem is, does recognition make the U.S. aligned or misaligned with regional allies?” he said.
Broader geopolitical calculations
Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said opposition within the Trump administration may reflect sensitivities among Middle Eastern partners, including Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
“The Qataris and Turkey are invested heavily in Somalia,” Cook said, adding that they may view an Israeli-aligned Somaliland as a threat to their interests in the Red Sea.
Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British diplomat and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argued that Somaliland’s geography alone makes it worthy of recognition.
“The U.S. would have a great deal of freedom of action close to Yemen, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,” he said. “In my opinion, the U.S. should recognize Somaliland.”
Fitton-Brown added that discussions among countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, the UAE and India about possible recognition could push the issue higher on Washington’s agenda.
For now, the debate remains unsettled — a reflection of how a little-recognized territory has become a test case for U.S. strategy in one of the world’s most contested regions.
