Trump Voices Opposition to UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Deal Citing Military Base Access

In Brief

Trump expressed opposition to the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands sovereignty deal, referencing military use of Diego Garcia.

Key Facts

• US President Donald Trump publicly opposed the UK’s Chagos Islands sovereignty deal with Mauritius, according to BBC and The Guardian
• The US government initially gave official backing to the UK-Mauritius Chagos deal, as reported by BBC
• Trump linked his opposition to the UK’s refusal to permit US use of Diego Garcia airbases for potential strikes against Iran, according to The Guardian
• Trump criticized Labour leader Keir Starmer on social media for supporting the sovereignty handover to Mauritius, as reported by BBC
• The Chagos deal involves the UK transferring sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while retaining military base access, according to BBC

What Happened

The UK and Mauritius reached a sovereignty agreement over the Chagos Islands, which the US government initially supported. Subsequently, US President Donald Trump publicly opposed the deal, citing the UK’s refusal to allow US military use of Diego Garcia airbases for potential strikes against Iran, according to The Guardian and BBC reports.

Why It Matters

The Chagos Islands host a US military base on Diego Garcia, which is strategically significant for operations in the Indian Ocean region. The reported disagreement between the US and UK over military access highlights complexities in diplomatic agreements involving sovereignty and defense cooperation. This situation may influence international relations involving the UK, US, Mauritius, and Iran.