Former US President Donald Trump has launched a blistering verbal assault on the United Kingdom's agreement to hand control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, branding the move an 'act of great stupidity'.
A Deal Under Fire
In a post on his Truth Social platform on January 20, 2026, Trump accused the UK of planning to 'give away the Island of Diego Garcia', which hosts a crucial joint US-UK military base, 'for no reason whatsoever'. The agreement, finalised last year, involves the UK relinquishing sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius while retaining operational control of the Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease, funded by the British government.
Echoing Domestic Criticism
Trump's intervention amplifies criticism already voiced by British MPs from both the Conservative and Reform parties. They argue the deal weakens British global interests and represents a strategic victory for China. The US President explicitly linked the handover to broader geopolitical tensions, stating: 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.'
He further connected the issue to his long-stated ambition regarding Greenland, writing it was 'another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired' from Denmark.
A Surprising U-Turn
The attack marks a stark reversal from Trump's previous position. The UK government had admitted the deal was contingent on Washington's support. That backing appeared to come in February 2025, when Trump, then in the Oval Office, indicated he was 'inclined to go along' with the plan. A prime ministerial spokesman suggested the US had given the final green light a couple of months later.
Trump's latest broadside throws the future of the delicate diplomatic arrangement into fresh uncertainty and underscores the volatile nature of the UK's post-Brexit strategic partnerships.
