US President Donald Trump has publicly warned Keir Starmer not to proceed with a proposed long-term lease over Diego Garcia, intensifying political pressure on the Labour Government’s controversial Chagos Islands agreement.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he had been advising the Prime Minister against entering into a 100-year lease arrangement linked to the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean,” he wrote.
Diego Garcia forms part of the British Indian Ocean Territory and hosts a joint UK-US military base that has supported American and British operations in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific for decades, including long-range bomber missions. Its location places it within operational range of the Gulf and parts of East Africa and Asia, making it one of Washington’s most significant overseas facilities.
Under Labour’s proposed agreement, Britain would transfer sovereignty of the wider archipelago to Mauritius and lease back Diego Garcia for defence purposes for 99 years, at a reported cost of £35bn over the lifetime of the arrangement. Ministers have argued the deal secures the long-term future of the base while resolving a protracted sovereignty dispute that has generated adverse advisory rulings in international courts and at the United Nations.
READ: Chagos For Dummies: How The UK Plans To Give Away Sovereignty And Pay To Rent It Back
Mr Trump’s intervention directly challenges that strategy and questions the basis of the Mauritian claim. He wrote: “Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature.”
The president also framed the issue in stark security terms, linking Diego Garcia to the prospect of military action against Iran.
“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime – An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries,” he wrote.
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is routinely used by US strategic aircraft and has previously hosted B-2 and B-52 bomber deployments.
Mr Trump concluded with a direct appeal: “Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally. We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
The president’s remarks add to mounting criticism of the Government’s handling of the issue. Opposition figures have questioned both the financial cost and the strategic implications of relinquishing sovereignty over territory that has been under British control since 1814. Critics argue that leasing back a base regarded as indispensable to Western defence weakens Britain’s negotiating position and creates potential long-term vulnerabilities.
The intervention also comes amid renewed tensions on the islands themselves. A group of Chagossians recently returned to parts of the archipelago, declaring their intention to establish a permanent presence more than 50 years after the original population was removed to make way for the US base. The British Indian Ocean Territory administration has since issued removal notices under the 2004 Immigration Order, warning of possible criminal penalties for unlawful residence.
Legal proceedings connected to the sovereignty dispute are ongoing in the UK courts, following a judicial review hearing in October. A judgment is still awaited.
Ministers maintain that the agreement with Mauritius is necessary to secure legal certainty and safeguard the continued operation of the base in the face of sustained international pressure. However, Mr Trump’s public rebuke introduces a significant transatlantic complication.
By framing the issue as both a strategic miscalculation and a surrender of control, the US president has placed additional scrutiny on Sir Keir’s approach at a moment when the Government is seeking to reassure allies that Britain remains a dependable security partner.
READ PRESIDENT TRUMP’S POST IN FULL:
“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.” Diego Garcia forms part of the British Indian Ocean Territory and hosts a joint UK US military base that has played a central role in American operations in the Middle East and Indo Pacific for decades. The UK government has been advancing legislation linked to an agreement with Mauritius concerning sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, under which Britain would lease back Diego Garcia for defence purposes. Ministers have argued that the arrangement secures the long term future of the base while resolving a long running sovereignty dispute. Trump’s post directly challenges that approach. He wrote, “Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature.” He added that the base could be critical in the event of heightened tensions with Iran. “Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime – An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries.” RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is regularly used by US strategic aircraft and has previously supported American bomber deployments. Trump concluded with a direct appeal to Starmer. “Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally. We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
