US President Donald Trump has urged Britain to reconsider its plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the strategic military base on Diego Garcia, opening a fresh diplomatic rift with the United Kingdom and Keir Starmer.
In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump said the proposed long-term lease would weaken British control over the island and harm allied security interests.
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease...” he wrote.
He added, “Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia… DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
The comments contradict a statement issued a day earlier by the US State Department backing the agreement, highlighting divisions inside Washington’s foreign policy messaging.
Why Diego Garcia matters strategically
Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos archipelago and hosts one of the most important joint US-UK military facilities in the Indian Ocean. The base supports long-range bombers, surveillance aircraft, warships, and submarines, enabling operations across the Middle East, East Africa, and the Indo-Pacific.
The post comes amid ongoing US negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program and regional activities. Trump has repeatedly said military options remain on the table if talks fail. The US already has one striker group in the region, and another is heading towards the Persian Gulf.
The UK–Mauritius agreement explained
The deal, announced in 2025, would see Britain hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing Diego Garcia back for 99 years to ensure uninterrupted military operations.
London argues that the arrangement resolves decades of legal disputes and protects the base's long-term future. A British Foreign Office spokesperson said the agreement is “crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies, and to keeping the British people safe”.
The islands have been under British control since 1814 and were separated from Mauritius before its independence. In the late 1960s, thousands of Chagossians were displaced to make way for the US base, a grievance that continues to fuel legal and political challenges.
Washington sends mixed signals
The controversy deepened after the US State Department formally supported the UK-Mauritius deal only hours before Trump’s criticism. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the president’s post should be treated as official policy, effectively overriding the earlier diplomatic endorsement.
The shift has revived questions about whether US foreign policy is being set through formal channels or presidential messaging on social media.
Political fallout in Britain
Trump’s remarks quickly triggered domestic criticism in the UK.
Opposition figures argued the comments weakened Britain’s negotiating position and exposed reliance on Washington. Some called the deal a diplomatic mistake, while others said the disagreement showed Britain must diversify alliances beyond the US.
The dispute also coincides with protests by Chagossians, who say decisions about sovereignty are being made without their consent.
What happens next
Talks between the United States and Mauritius are expected soon, raising the possibility that the dispute could spill into formal negotiations. For Britain, the challenge is maintaining the agreement while reassuring Washington that the base will remain secure. For the US, the question is whether official policy aligns with presidential statements.
Trump framed the issue as more than logistics, warning the UK against surrendering sovereignty and describing the potential transfer as “a blight on our Great Ally”. With tensions involving Iran and growing competition in the Indo-Pacific, the future of Diego Garcia, a remote atoll with outsized military importance, has become a focal point of global strategic politics.
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