What are the Chagos Islands and why does Trump think Britain would be stupid to give them up?
Donald Trump Condemns UK’s Chagos Islands Transfer to Mauritius
Donald Trump has condemned the United Kingdom for “stupidity” over its plan to transfer ownership of the Chagos Islands, including the US air base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia … FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness,” Trump wrote early on Tuesday morning on Truth Social. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY,” he added, citing the move as another reason for Washington to seize control of Greenland.
Historical Background of the Chagos Islands
The Chagos Islands form an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, more than 1,000 miles northeast of Mauritius. The UK took control of the islands along with Mauritius in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris following Napoleon’s defeat. In 1965, a Cold War agreement between the US and UK split the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, establishing the British Indian Ocean Territory. Over time, many Chagossians were removed from the islands to make way for a military base, with most resettling in Mauritius.
International Ruling and UK’s Commitment
Although Mauritius gained independence in 1968, the Chagos Islands remain under British control. The International Court of Justice – the United Nations’ highest court – ruled in 2019 that the UK must return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius “as rapidly as possible,” stating the move would enable Mauritius to “complete the decolonization of its territory in a manner consistent with the right of peoples to self-determination.” While the judgment was non-binding, the UK has faced growing international pressure to relinquish control.
2025 Treaty and Future of Diego Garcia
Under the terms of a treaty approved and signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart in May 2025, the UK will transfer sovereignty over all the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. However, the UK will pay Mauritius £101 million ($136 million) annually for a 99-year lease on the military base at Diego Garcia, allowing the UK and US to retain access to the facility. At the time, the US State Department said Washington…
“The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY,” he added, citing the move as another reason for Washington to seize control of Greenland.
