Trump Warns UK Over Diego Garcia as Mauritius Deal Moves Forward
Trump Warns UK Over Diego Garcia as Mauritius Deal Moves Forward
Trump urges Britain not to 'give away' Diego Garcia as sovereignty shifts to Mauritius, stressing the base's role in potential Iran-related security contingencies.
In a post on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump warned the United Kingdom against handing sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, arguing that keeping Diego Garcia under a long-term lease is essential for any future military scenarios. He declared, in capital letters, “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!” and warned that the base could be central to eradicating a potential Tehran-led attack. The move comes as London prepares to formalize the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius under a 2025 agreement, while retaining operational control of the Diego Garcia base through a 99-year lease with an option to extend. The arrangement has long tied the United States and Britain to a strategic hub that supports long-range operations across West Asia, East Africa and the Indo-Pacific.
Trump’s remarks represent another twist in Washington’s evolving stance on the matter, reframing the issue around security needs rather than purely decolonial timelines. He criticized the idea of leasing sovereign territory and suggested that long, century-long leases may be detrimental to a country’s interests, a sentiment he says he has shared with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The emphasis on the lease underlines the tension between sovereignty and access to a critical military installation that both nations rely on for global operations.
Analysts note the base’s importance goes beyond symbolism: Diego Garcia hosts joint US-UK facilities that have functioned as a pivotal staging and support point for operations across several strategic theaters. While the official policy outlines a transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius, the continued lease keeps the base available for long-term military use, complicating questions about governance and compensation for people connected to the Chagos Islands. As talks continue, the debate highlights how security calculus and decolonization timelines intersect in a way that could influence future alliance dynamics and regional stability.
