Do not give away Diego Garcia, Trump tells UK

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 18, 2026 at 08:46 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Donald Trump has publicly criticized the UK's plan to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia, a strategically important military base in the Indian Ocean, for 99 years. Despite the US previously backing the UK's plan, Trump stated that giving away Diego Garcia would be a "blight" on the UK. He emphasized the island's strategic location and suggested the US might need it if nuclear talks with Iran fail. The Chagos Islands, under British control since 1814, are located in the Indian Ocean, thousands of miles from both the UK and Mauritius. Trump's comments come ahead of planned talks between the US and Mauritius.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Keir Starmer 50% British Indian Ocean Territory ×260% Chagos Archipelago ×270% Iran ×470% Mauritius ×470% UK ×880% United States ×485% Donald Trump ×690% Diego Garcia ×795%

Keywords

diego garcia 100% chagos islands 90% uk 80% us 80% donald trump 70% mauritius 70% military base 60% indian ocean 50% lease agreement 50% sovereignty 40%