Why Trump has blasted Starmer deal to hand Chagos Islands back to Mauritius

The US president took aim at the British prime minister stating on Truth Social that the UK had surrendered the islands for "no reason whatsoever".

He 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."

Mr Trump claimed that China and Russia would be this as an "act of total weakness," as he continued his push for the US to take Greenland, insisting he "has to have it".

Mr Trump's comments follow Sir Keir backing Greenlanders to decide their own future, and cautioning the US president against escalating. "On Greenland, the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies," he said on Monday.

A deal between the UK and Mauritius was agreed last May.

Downing Street insisted the deal, which would see Britain give up sovereignty of the island territory and lease back a crucial military base there, is the “right thing”.

This is what was involved.

Where are the Chagos Islands?

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) or Chagos Islands (formerly the Oil Islands) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia.

The Chagos are formed of 60 islands and Diego Garcia is where the airstrip is found. It is a key location for foreign policy and why the UK is keen to hang onto the use of the land.

The UK has had control of the islands since 1965 and a joint airbase with the US was established between then and 1973.

Many of the 4,000 strong Chagossian population have campaigned for it to come under the sovereignty of Mauritius, another island collective that is off the east coast of Africa. The distance between the two is still a lengthy 1,300 plus miles and the Chagos Islands are nearer to the Maldives.

Sir Keir announced in October 2024 that Britain was prepared to hand over control to Mauritius but would continue to lease the air strip on Diego Garcia.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are working to sign a deal which will safeguard the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia, which is vital to our national security."

Critics of proposals to hand over the islands to Mauritius fear the move will benefit China, which has a growing reach in the region.

The Conservatives are among those which have criticised Labour’s handling of the negotiations, though they began discussing the handover with Mauritius when they were in power.

Former Tory minister Robert Jenrick said: “If this group can force the Government to think twice, then all power to them.”