Trump tells Starmer ‘do not give away Diego Garcia’ in fresh attack on Chagos Islands deal

South China Morning Post · Feb 18, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday sharply criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the UK’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, warning the deal could create strategic vulnerabilities amid concerns about China’s growing ties with Mauritius.The deal, finalised in 2025 between Britain and Mauritius, would see Britain transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease to maintain full operational control of the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump described the lease arrangement as “tenuous, at best”, and urged Starmer not to proceed, arguing that leases are unreliable for sovereign territory.“Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before,” Trump wrote. “In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature.” He concluded emphatically: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”04:56What are Trump’s motivations for wanting the US to take over Greenland?What are Trump’s motivations for wanting the US to take over Greenland?The arrangement reportedly involves Britain paying Mauritius around US$47 billion over the century-long period.Trump, who has previously expressed mixed views on the deal, including calling it the “best” Starmer could achieve in earlier statements, has recently reversed course.

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