Trump slams UK island handoff deal that could put key US military base at risk

The UK intends to proceed with handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite former US President Trump's criticism. Trump called the move "an act of great stupidity," linking it to his desire to acquire Greenland and citing concerns about China and Russia. The Chagos Islands include Diego Garcia, home to a strategically important US-UK military base. Downing Street maintains that the US still supports the agreement, which aims to provide a firm legal basis for the base's operation and secure its capabilities. The UK emphasizes the base's importance for national security and intelligence cooperation with the US.

The UK government is defending its agreement to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for a joint UK-US military base. This follows criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who called the deal "an act of great stupidity." The UK maintains the agreement, signed in May, secures the base's operations for generations and was supported by the US and other Five Eyes allies. The UK government stated the deal was necessary to protect the base after court decisions undermined their position. The UK government plans to discuss the deal with the Trump administration to reinforce its benefits.

The Chagos Islands, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, are at the center of a dispute between Britain and Mauritius. Britain controlled the islands since the colonial era and expelled the inhabitants in the 1960s to build a joint military base with the U.S. on Diego Garcia, the largest island. Mauritius, independent since 1968, has claimed sovereignty over the islands. In 2024, Britain agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following legal pressure and an International Court of Justice ruling. The agreement allows the U.S. and Britain to continue operating the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, which is strategically important for serving U.S. Navy ships and refueling long-range bombers in the Indian Ocean.

Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that the UK's decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is among the reasons he wants the U.S. to take over Greenland. He claimed acquiring Greenland is "imperative for national and world security." Trump also leaked private text messages from Emmanuel Macron and Mark Rutte discussing his policies. Separately, at an MLK Day event in Washington, the NAACP highlighted increased fears within racially diverse and immigrant communities due to police and state violence. In New York City, the new mayor framed inequality as an economic issue at an MLK Day celebration.

Donald Trump has criticized the UK's plan to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite his administration previously supporting the deal. The agreement, signed in May, would give Mauritius sovereignty after two centuries of British control, while the UK would lease back Diego Garcia, home to a vital US military base, for at least 99 years. Trump called the move an act of "great stupidity" and a sign of weakness, citing concerns about China and Russia. His remarks contradict Prime Minister Keir Starmer's efforts to ease tensions and repair the trans-Atlantic relationship, particularly regarding Greenland. The Chagos Islands are a remote but strategically important archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

Donald Trump cited the UK's decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as a reason for the US to acquire Greenland. Trump criticized the UK's move as "stupidity" and a sign of weakness, particularly regarding Diego Garcia, the site of a US military base. The UK has a £3.4bn agreement to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while leasing Diego Garcia back for 99 years for a joint US-UK military base. The agreement faces opposition in the UK, with some citing US concerns and national security as reasons to deny the deal. Trump's comments have fueled criticism of the handover, with some UK politicians echoing his concerns about national security.