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US President Donald Trump has recently criticized the United Kingdom’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while leasing back a crucial military base. He described the deal as an “act of great stupidity,” despite having previously supported the arrangement. The £3.4 billion ($4.6 billion) agreement, finalized in May, allows the UK to maintain control of the joint UK-US military facility on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago.
Trump expressed his displeasure explicitly on social media, linking the issue to his broader national security concerns and his ongoing efforts to acquire Greenland. In a statement posted to his platform Truth Social, he accused the UK of weakening its strategic position without justification, claiming that the move had been noted by Russia and China as a demonstration of vulnerability. He said, “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, defended the deal during an interview with BBC Breakfast. He emphasized that the agreement secures vital security guarantees for the island and its surrounding waters, and rejected any suggestion that the UK should feel embarrassed or humiliated by the arrangement. Jones highlighted that the deal preserves “an important military base” on Diego Garcia beneficial to both the UK and its NATO allies, including the United States.
The history behind the islands is complex. The Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius in 1965 when Mauritius was still a British colony. Britain purchased the islands for £3 million, but Mauritius has contested the legitimacy of that transfer, arguing it was forced as part of the independence process. According to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the UK will pay £101 million annually for a 99-year lease to retain use of the Diego Garcia base, a cost deemed necessary to protect against “malign influence.” The UK government maintains that the deal settles a long-standing sovereignty dispute while ensuring the military base remains operational for decades
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