President Trump criticized the U.K.'s 2024 agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the move "great stupidity" and citing it as another reason to push for acquiring Greenland. Diego Garcia, a central island in the chain, hosts a major U.S.-U.K. military base. A 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion and later court rulings helped prompt the transfer, while a 99-year lease preserves base operations. London says the deal protects national security and has support from key allies.
Trump Blasts U.K. Over Chagos Transfer, Links Move to Renewed Push for Greenland
A map shows the Chagos Archipelago, a British Indian Ocean Territory, that the U.K. agreed in 2024 to hand sovereignty of to Mauritius. / Credit: Getty/iStockphoto
London — President Donald J. Trump sharply criticized the U.K.'s agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius — a deal his administration had previously supported — calling the decision an act of "great stupidity" and arguing it strengthens his case for the United States to pursue acquiring Greenland. One island in the archipelago, Diego Garcia, hosts a major joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean.
Trump's Statement and Diplomatic Reaction
Posting on his Truth Social platform early Tuesday, Mr. Trump wrote:
"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 UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired."
The comment came while U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, was visiting the U.K. to address members of Parliament. In his remarks, Johnson sought to reassure British lawmakers that Washington and London "have always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that."
Background: Chagos, Diego Garcia and the 2019 ICJ Opinion
The Chagos archipelago was detached from Mauritius in 1965 while Mauritius was still a British colony. According to BBC reporting, the U.K. paid roughly the equivalent of $4 million for the islands at the time. Mauritius has long maintained it was compelled to cede the territory as a condition of gaining independence in 1968.
The British government later invited the United States to construct a military installation on Diego Garcia, which has become a cornerstone of U.S. defense posture across the Indian Ocean. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued a nonbinding advisory opinion concluding that the U.K. had acted improperly in removing island residents from Diego Garcia to make way for the base.
The 2024 Deal And Security Safeguards
That advisory opinion and subsequent court rulings helped prompt a 2024 agreement in which Britain agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while securing continued control of the Diego Garcia base via a 99-year lease. Reports indicate the arrangement carries an estimated cost to the U.K. of roughly $136 million per year and was designed to preserve joint U.S.-U.K. operations.
Until recently, elements of the Trump administration signaled support for the sovereignty transfer. In May of last year, Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement saying that, following a "comprehensive interagency review," the Trump administration determined the agreement "secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint U.S.-U.K. military facility at Diego Garcia." Rubio also said Mr. Trump had expressed support for the deal after meeting with Prime Minister Starmer.
U.K. Response And International Context
A U.K. government spokesperson told CBS News the government "will never compromise on our national security," arguing the deal with Mauritius was necessary because court decisions had undermined Britain's legal position and could have threatened the base's future operations. "This deal secures the operations of the joint U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out," the statement said.
London also noted the arrangement had been publicly welcomed by the U.S., Australia and other Five Eyes partners, and by key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. The Five Eyes intelligence and defense partnership comprises the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
What This Means
The episode highlights tensions between public political posturing and long-term security arrangements among allies. It also underscores how historic colonial-era decisions and international court rulings continue to shape modern diplomatic and military planning in strategically important regions like the Indian Ocean.
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