One decision in the Indian Ocean has triggered a transatlantic political storm. U.S. President Donald Trump has accused the United Kingdom of “stupidity” over its plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The archipelago includes Diego Garcia, home to one of America’s most important overseas military bases.
“Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia … FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” Trump wrote on Truth Social early Tuesday.
“There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.”
He went further. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY,” Trump added. He cited the move as another reason for Washington to seize control of Greenland.
Trump’s comments mark a sharp reversal. Last year, he praised the same deal as a “monumental achievement.”
What are the Chagos Islands
The Chagos Islands are a chain of islands in the central Indian Ocean, more than 1,000 miles northeast of Mauritius. Britain took control of the territory in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris after Napoleon’s defeat.
Diego Garcia is the largest island in the archipelago and hosts a major US military base. That base has been critical for operations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
In 1965, the UK separated the islands from Mauritius as part of a Cold War agreement with the United States. The territory was renamed the British Indian Ocean Territory. Many Chagossians were forcibly removed to make way for a military base. Most resettled in Mauritius.
Mauritius became independent in 1968. The Chagos Islands did not.
Why the US built a base on Diego Garcia
The US and UK established the Diego Garcia military base in 1971 to counter Soviet influence. It later became one of Washington’s most strategic overseas assets.
The base supported US operations in Iraq. It has served as a key hub for long-range bombers and naval deployments across Asia and the Middle East. Human rights groups have also linked it to US rendition flights.
Its location gives the US control over key sea lanes linking Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Why the UK agreed to return the islands
Mauritius has long claimed sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK must return the territory “as rapidly as possible.”
The court said the separation of the islands violated the right to self-determination and prevented Mauritius from completing decolonisation.
The ruling was not legally binding. Still, it increased diplomatic pressure on London. British governments from both major parties argued the issue tested the UK’s commitment to international law.
What the deal allows
Under a treaty signed in May 2025, the UK will transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Diego Garcia is excluded from the handover.
The UK will pay Mauritius £101 million, or about $136 million, each year for a 99 year lease on the base. The arrangement allows continued US and UK military access.
At the time, the U.S. State Department welcomed the deal.
“Following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation” at Diego Garcia, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Trump “expressed his support for this monumental achievement” during talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Can the agreement be stopped
The treaty has passed intense scrutiny in the British parliament and is close to final approval. Labour holds a large majority, limiting the opposition’s ability to block it.
Still, Trump’s comments have energised critics on the British right.
“The Americans have woken up to the fact that they were lied to,” said Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK.
“They were told that the UK had no choice but to surrender the Chagos Islands. This was simply not true.”
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch went further. “Paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage,” she said.
Why Trump says the deal weakens the West
Trump argued the transfer would embolden China and Russia. “These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH,” he wrote. “That is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before.”
Analysts say Beijing already has a growing footprint across the Indian Ocean through port investments and naval access agreements. Diego Garcia remains a critical counterweight.
What Chagossians think
Chagossians were not directly involved in the negotiations. The global Chagossian population is estimated at about 10,000. Many live in the UK, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
A poll by Whitestone Insight of more than 3,600 respondents found that most Chagossians opposed the transfer and preferred to remain under British rule.
Why Trump linked it to Greenland
Trump tied the Chagos decision to his push to acquire Greenland, calling it “another in a very long line of National Security reasons.”
He has argued Greenland is essential to US security because of Arctic shipping routes, missile defence, and rare earth minerals. Denmark and Greenland reject any sale.
Earlier this week, Trump also linked Greenland to his frustration over not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer felt bound “to think purely of peace.”
A deeper clash of world views
At its core, the dispute reflects competing ideas of power. Starmer has framed the Chagos handover as a legal and moral obligation. Trump rejects that logic.
Asked by The New York Times what could limit his power abroad, Trump replied, “There is one thing. My own morality. My own mind…. I don’t need international law.”
