“Shockingly, our “brilliant” NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so for no reason whatsoever,” the U.S. president posted on Truth Social.
“There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are international powers who only recognize strength,” Trump claimed, adding Britain “giving away extremely important land is an act of great stupidity.”
The president said the U.K.’s Chagos decision justified his desire to acquire Greenland — a move NATO allies, including the U.K., have vehemently opposed.
The agreement would pass sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, whose government long claimed it was forced to give up the islands for its own independence from Britain in 1968.
However, the Diego Garcia military base will remain under U.K. and U.S. control for the next 99 years.
Trump told Prime Minister Keir Starmer last February Washington, D.C. would “be inclined to go along” with Britain, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio “welcomed the historic agreement” when the deal was signed in May 2025.