President cites Iran tensions and U.S. military posture in warning Prime Minister Keir Starmer against 100-year lease arrangement.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump on Wednesday publicly cautioned the United Kingdom against proceeding with a planned transfer of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, arguing that such a move could jeopardize regional security and undermine access to a key U.S. military installation.
The British government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently agreed to hand over sovereignty of the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius, a nation that has long asserted a claim to the islands but has never governed them. The archipelago includes Diego Garcia, home to a strategically significant American military base.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump warned that a proposed long-term lease arrangement tied to the transfer would be detrimental to British and allied interests. “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,” Trump wrote in the post, which was published on Truth Social.
He added, “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.”
Trump characterized the claims over Diego Garcia as questionable. “In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature,” he wrote. He further linked the issue to ongoing tensions with Iran, stating, “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.”
The president concluded his remarks with a direct appeal to the British prime minister: “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 Chagos Archipelago has been administered by the United Kingdom for decades, though Mauritius has maintained a longstanding sovereignty claim. The proposed transfer has drawn scrutiny in Britain, particularly due to the presence of U.S. military assets on Diego Garcia and the island’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
Original article
Comments