Donald Trump has launched a fresh broadside on the UK’s Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius, saying Sir Keir Starmer is “making a big mistake”.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president warned against the loss of the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which the UK is retaining through a 99-year lease of the 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,” said Mr Trump.
Mr Trump said that Sir Keir “should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease”.
He added: “This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally. We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them.
“DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
The UK government has defended the deal following Mr Trump’s post.
Read more:
What is in the Chagos Islands deal criticised by Donald Trump – and why is it controversial?
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “The deal to secure the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia military is crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies, and to keeping the British people safe.
“The agreement we have reached is the only way to guarantee the long-term future of this vital military base.”
Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago, is the site of a joint UK-US military base. Pic: PA
Sky’s US correspondent Mark Stone says the post will be a “difficult read” for the UK government, who are “exasperated by the flip-flopping that has gone on”.
The Chagos Islands are an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, with the island of Diego Garcia home to a joint UK-US military base.
The islands are an overseas territory of the UK, but after the UK lost a court case over the sovereignty of the islands, the government agreed to cede the islands to Mauritius.
Changing US position on Chagos Islands deal
The US backed the deal to give sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius as recently as Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the US State Department said then: “The United States supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago.”
Mr Trump previously criticised the deal in January, calling it an “act of total weakness” and “great stupidity” – although following a phone call with Sir Keir on 5 February, he signalled his support for the deal, calling it “the best [Sir Keir] could make”.
Asked by reporters whether Mr Trump’s post meant the US position on the Chagos Islands deal had changed, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The post should be taken as the policy of the Trump administration, it’s coming straight from the horse’s mouth.”
Sky News understands that Conservative MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who is a strong opponent of the deal, has just returned from Washington DC where he lobbied the White House, National Security Council, and State Department on the issue.
‘Kill this terrible deal,’ says Badenoch
The law to formally give away the islands is still before parliament, and the issue has become a significant political row.
The Conservatives and Reform UK both oppose the deal, while the Liberal Democrats have demanded MPs are given a fresh vote on the issue.
Responding to Mr Trump’s latest comments, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the US president was “right”.
“Chagos is a strategic asset. If our closest ally is saying this, the PM should listen. It’s time to kill this terrible deal,” she added.
But Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticised Mr Trump’s changing position: “Trump’s endless flip-flopping on the Chagos Islands shows why Starmer’s approach is doomed to fail. Britain can’t rely on the US while Trump is in the White House.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Keir Starmer risks alienating our most important ally by giving away the Chagos Islands, the worst deal in British history… Starmer must cancel this deal.”
The House of Lords inflicted four defeats on the government last month on the details of the leasing of Diego Garcia – and the publication of any detailed payments made to Mauritius.
The government pulled the bill from the Lords, and has yet to reschedule it.
