UK Defends Chagos Islands Deal After Trump Labels It ‘Great Stupidity’

The UK government defended its agreement to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on Tuesday, insisting the deal “secures” the future of the key US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, after US President Donald Trump called it an act of “great stupidity.”

Trump, who had previously endorsed the agreement when it was signed in May 2025, criticized London on Truth Social, saying:
“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 remarks come amid Trump’s repeated threats to impose tariffs on Britain and other European nations over Greenland’s sovereignty.

The Chagos deal allows Britain to transfer the archipelago to Mauritius while leasing Diego Garcia—the largest island and site of a joint US-UK military base—for 100 years. Downing Street said the agreement “secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out.”

A government spokesperson added that the deal had been welcomed by the US, Australia, Five Eyes allies, and key partners including India, Japan, and South Korea. At the time of signing, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said:
“The Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia.”

UK cabinet minister Darren Jones told Times Radio that the treaty “has been signed with the Mauritian government… so I can’t reverse the clock on that,” noting the deal was in its final stages in Parliament.

The UK retained control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s, evicting thousands of islanders in the process. Decades of legal battles culminated in a 2019 International Court of Justice recommendation for Britain to hand over the archipelago.

Opposition politicians have criticized the deal, which would see Britain pay £101 million ($136 million) annually to Mauritius for 99 years—amounting to roughly £3.4 billion if inflation is included. Kemi Badenoch, Conservative Party leader, said, “Unfortunately on this issue President Trump is right.” Nigel Farage of Reform UK also praised Trump’s stance.

In contrast, Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stand firm, stating:
“The Chagos Deal was sold as proof the government could work with [Trump]. Now it’s falling apart. It’s time for the government to stand up to Trump; appeasing a bully never works.”

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