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US President Donald Trump has renewed his attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to transfer ownership of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, as he highlighted the potential use of the Diego Garcia military base in any strikes on Iran.
Trump and his administration have whipsawed between criticism and support for the British government’s deal to hand over sovereignty of the islands, where the joint US-UK military base is located.
Trump is considering taking military action against Iran as the US tries to strike a deal with Tehran that is aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. Diego Garcia is about 5,200km from Tehran and could serve as a launching point for any attack given its proximity to Iran and its long runways.
The US-UK military base is a key strategic asset for Washington in the Indo-Pacific region, with a deepwater port that can accommodate aircraft carriers and the runways necessary to launch warplanes such as stealth B-2 bombers.
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer . . . that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, adding that Starmer is “losing control” of the base.
“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 — An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries,” Trump said.
He added: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
The US-UK military base is also important to Washington for surveillance and intelligence gathering.
The US has been building up its forces in the Middle East as Trump weighs his military options against Iran. Washington’s newest and largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, is on its way to the region, alongside several destroyers. It will join 10 ships already in the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
The US has dispatched thousands of additional troops in the region, as well as fighter jets and air defences.
In the run-up to US strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities last June, Washington sent B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia as a decoy. B-2 bombers from an air force base in Missouri instead hit the facilities.
The UK’s agreement last year to transfer ownership of the Chagos Islands — officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory — was initially praised by Washington, including US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
But last month Trump accused Britain of “great stupidity” and “weakness” over the deal with Mauritius, and cited the UK plan as a reason for the US to secure Greenland, though he has since backed down from his threats to seize the vast Arctic island by force.
Then earlier this month, Trump rowed back his criticism, saying he understood that Starmer had made “the best [deal] he could make”.
That was followed by an expression of support from the state department on Tuesday.
It said the US “supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago”.
Asked about the conflicting statements by Trump and the state department on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president’s “post should be taken as the policy of the Trump administration. It’s coming straight from the horse’s mouth”.
The US is set to hold bilateral talks with Mauritius next week that will focus on security arrangements and co-operation for the Diego Garcia base.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “The deal to secure the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia 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.”
Tory shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said Trump had “once again publicly rebuked Keir Starmer and his government over their ill-judged, unnecessary and expensive Chagos surrender”.
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