US President Donald Trump has urged Britain not to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, warning that a long-term lease arrangement over the strategic Diego Garcia air base would be a big mistake.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said he had been pressing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reconsider the agreement.
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries,” Trump wrote, calling the proposed 100-year lease “tenuous, at best.”
The remarks came a day after the US State Department said Washington supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius.
Under a 2025 agreement, the UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean, hosts a key American air base that has long served as a launch point for US military operations across the Middle East and Asia.
Trump warned that surrendering sovereignty could weaken Britain’s grip on a vital security asset.
“Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island,” Trump wrote, dismissing competing claims to the territory as fictitious in nature.
Trump linked the issue directly to broader geopolitical tensions, particularly with Iran.
“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” he wrote.
He argued that any move that diluted British authority over the base could pose risks not only to the UK but to “other friendly Countries.”
“This land should not be taken away from the UK,” Trump added. “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
Trump’s comments highlight a contrast between his position and the current State Department stance backing the UK-Mauritius arrangement.
Despite the criticism, Trump emphasized that the US-UK alliance remains “strong and powerful,” adding that the United States would always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK.
