Trump waters down criticism of UK’s Chagos Islands deal after call with Starmer

After previously criticizing the UK's plan to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Donald Trump has softened his stance following a phone call with Keir Starmer. The agreement involves the UK ceding control of the islands, including Diego Garcia, while leasing Diego Garcia for 99 years to continue operating a joint US-UK military base. Trump had initially called the deal "an act of great stupidity," citing national security concerns. However, he now states that the deal is "the best" Starmer could make, while also asserting the right to militarily secure the base if US operations are threatened. Starmer and Trump agreed on the importance of the deal for securing the base and maintaining shared security interests. The UK and US will continue to collaborate on implementing the agreement.

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