Trump slams UK’s Diego Garcia handover as ‘great stupidity’, links move to Greenland push

Trump slams UK’s Diego Garcia handover as ‘great stupidity’, links move to Greenland push

• Trump calls UK plan to transfer Diego Garcia to Mauritius "great stupidity"
• He links the move to his push for acquiring Greenland for US national security
• UK will lease Diego Garcia back for 99 years after transferring Chagos Islands

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US President Donald Trump sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its plan to transfer sovereignty of Diego Garcia to Mauritius, calling the move an act of “great stupidity” and linking it to his broader push for acquiring Greenland.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump attacked Britain for agreeing to hand over the Indian Ocean island, which hosts a major US military base. Using sarcasm, he referred to the UK as a “brilliant” NATO ally for planning to give up strategically important territory.

“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,” Trump wrote.

He warned that geopolitical rivals would interpret the move as weakness. “There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH,” the US President said.

Trump also claimed that America’s global standing had strengthened under his leadership. “That is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before,” he added.

Directly tying the issue to Greenland, Trump argued that Britain’s decision reinforced his case for acquiring the Danish territory. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,” he said, urging European allies to comply. “Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is critical to US national security due to its Arctic location, proximity to emerging shipping routes, and its role in monitoring Russian and Chinese activity. The island already hosts a major US military facility at Pituffik, formerly known as Thule Air Base, which supports missile warning and space surveillance operations.

The renewed focus on Greenland comes amid rising tensions between Washington and European allies over defence spending, tariffs, and security policy. Denmark has firmly rejected any proposal to sell or transfer Greenland, stressing that the self-governing territory’s future rests with its people.

Trump’s remarks on Diego Garcia have also reignited debate over the Chagos Archipelago, which lies in the central Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia serves as a key logistical hub for US military operations across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

The UK formally agreed in May 2025 to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing Diego Garcia back for at least 99 years, ensuring continued US and British military access. The agreement followed decades of legal and diplomatic pressure and was framed as part of a broader decolonisation process.

Despite US involvement in consultations over the deal, Trump has criticised the transfer, arguing that even symbolic concessions weaken Western strategic posture. His comments have added a new layer of uncertainty to arrangements that had been seen as securing the long-term future of the base.

India, which has backed the UK-Mauritius agreement and has growing security interests in the Indian Ocean, has quietly supported Mauritius’ claim. New Delhi has committed financial and security assistance to help manage the territory, even as Trump’s stance raises fresh questions about Washington’s approach to strategic assets abroad.

Trump’s rhetoric suggests a preference for outright control over strategic locations rather than long-term leases, a position that mirrors his stance on Greenland and signals a tougher, more transactional phase in US relations with allies.