UK puts Chagos Islands handover deal on hold after Trump withdraws support

This image released by the U.S. Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Island group. (U.S. Navy via AP, File) 2026-04-11T10:37:22Z LONDON (AP) — Britain’s agreement to hand Mauritius the Chagos Islands that are home to a strategic U.K.-American military base is on indefinite hold because U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has withdrawn its support for the deal. The British government acknowledged Saturday that legislation to ratify the agreement for the islands in the Indian Ocean has run out of time in Parliament. It’s the latest fallout from souring relations between Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government and the Trump administration. Trump initially backed the deal, but changed his mind in January, calling a deal to transfer sovereignty of the islands, home to the joint military base on Diego Garcia, “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY” in a social media post. The U.K. put the bill’s progress on hold, and the government now concedes it will run out of time to become law before the current session of Parliament ends in the next few weeks. It is not expected to be included in the list of bills announced by King Charles III for the next session of Parliament, which begins May 13. Despite British frustration with the U.S. change of stance, officials still hope the deal can be revived. “Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the U.K. and the U.S.,” the British government said in a statement. “Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority — it is the entire reason for the deal. (