Trump Urges Starmer Not to Cede Chagos Islands, Cites Security Concerns
Washington D.C. – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reconsider plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, warning that doing so would be a “big mistake.” The intervention comes despite a recent shift in the U.S. State Department’s position, which on Tuesday officially backed the deal.
Under the agreement reached last year, the United Kingdom would relinquish control of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but retain a 99-year lease on the largest island, Diego Garcia, to continue operating a joint U.S.-UK military base. Trump’s latest comments represent a reversal from earlier this month, when he described the plan as the “best” deal Starmer could make, seemingly softening his previous criticism.
In a post on his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump expressed concern over Starmer “losing control” of the strategically important island. “Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but prime minister Starmer is losing control of this important island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature,” he wrote.
Trump further emphasized the potential need for the U.S. To utilize Diego Garcia, alongside RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, should Iran fail to reach a peace agreement with the United States. He suggested the base could be crucial in “eradicate[ing] a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous regime – an attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly countries.” He cautioned Starmer against relinquishing control of Diego Garcia through what he termed a “tenuous, at best, 100-year lease.”
“This land should not be taken away from the UK and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our great ally,” Trump added. He also referenced what he called “wokeism” and other problems facing the UK, suggesting the country needed to remain strong.
The U.S. President’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, affirmed that Trump’s social media post should be considered the official policy of his administration, stating it was “coming straight from the horse’s mouth.”
The UK’s shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel, seized on Trump’s comments, calling it “an utter humiliation for Starmer” and characterizing the Chagos surrender as “ill-judged, unnecessary and expensive.”
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticized Starmer’s approach as “doomed to fail,” pointing to Trump’s “flip-flopping” on the issue as evidence that Britain cannot rely on the U.S. Under the current administration. He advocated for strengthening ties with European allies.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office defended the deal, stating that securing the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia is “crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies, and to keeping the British people safe.” The spokesperson added that the agreement is “the only way to guarantee the long-term future of this vital military base.”
The debate surrounding the Chagos Islands has been further complicated by the recent arrival of four Chagossians on Île du Coin, part of the Peros Banhos atoll, in an attempt to disrupt British plans to transfer the territory to Mauritius. British authorities have issued removal orders to the individuals, warning that returning to the islands would be a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment and a fine.
The issue remains contentious, with some Chagossians accusing Mauritius of decades of neglect, a claim Mauritius has denied. Up to 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed from the archipelago in the 1960s and 1970s and resettled primarily in Mauritius and Britain, and many are seeking the right to return to their homeland. The UN committee on the elimination of racial discrimination has urged both Britain and Mauritius not to ratify the 2025 agreement, citing concerns about perpetuating historical rights violations.
