President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account to criticize the United Kingdom’s ongoing plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including the strategically critical island of Diego Garcia, to Mauritius.
In a Truth Social post that has garnered thousands of reactions, Trump described the move as an “act of total weakness” and “great stupidity,” warning that adversaries like China and Russia are watching closely. He also linked the decision to other ongoing national security strategies, reiterating his push to acquire Greenland from Denmark to help solidify America’s military defense network.
The post, published on January 20, reads in part: “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. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.”
Diego Garcia, the largest island in the remote Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, hosts a joint U.S.-UK military base operated by the U.S. Navy.
Established in the early 1970s, the base serves as a key logistics hub for American forces, a quick refueling stop, a crucial supply hub, and a hub that facilitates the deployment of troops across the Middle East, East Africa, and South Asia. Its extremely isolated location – over 1,000 miles from the nearest landmass also provides some very rare and valuable strategic advantages, including the ability to house long-range bomber aircraft and submarines.
The facility has been instrumental in past military operations, such as supporting U.S. forces during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, counter-terrorism missions against ISIS, and maintaining overall command and control in the Indian Ocean.
America’s military leaders have previously spoken about its crucial role in countering emerging modern threats, including potential threats from China, which has expanded its influence in the Indo-Pacific.
In a speech on the importance of the island in November of 2024, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said, “China says, ‘Fine. That sounds good to us.’ Why? Because, number one, China has already started currying favor with Mauritius. And, number two, Mauritius will now be in charge of the security of the Chagos Islands and our military base and the waters surrounding it. China—Xi Jinping—he’s as happy as a gopher in soft dirt. He’ll be hacking the Mauritius security as soon as the trade is made.”
“And it is not just any military base. It is an extraordinarily important military base. Our military base is one of the few in the world where our military can reload submarines – hugely important,” Kennedy added.
The base’s history is long-rooted in Cold War geopolitics.
In 1965, the UK “detached” the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius – then a British colony, to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which also created a 1966 agreement with the U.S. to establish the military base.
However, this process involved a controversial depopulation of the islands, where around 1,500 Chagossian inhabitants were forcibly relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles between 1968 and 1973 to make way for the base. That move has been condemned by some political leaders worldwide, with a 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion deeming the detachment unlawful and calling for the UK’s administration to end the agreement. A following UN General Assembly resolution in 2019 echoed this, urging the return of the archipelago to Mauritius.
Politically, issues in the area have simmered for nearly half a century, with Mauritius pushing its own sovereignty claims since its independence in 1968. According to the Library of Congress, the UK provided Mauritius with a £3 million grant (about $4 million at the time) and promised to return the islands when no longer needed for defense purposes. However, the base’s continued importance for defense has kept the territory under British control.
Recent developments date back to October 3, 2024, when the UK and Mauritius announced a historic agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, while securing the operations of the Diego Garcia base for 99 years through a lease arrangement.
A joint statement from the UK and Mauritius governments posted that same month reads: “The treaty will address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of Chagossians. Mauritius will now be free to implement a programme of resettlement on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago, other than Diego Garcia, and the UK will capitalise a new trust fund, as well as separately provide other support, for the benefit of Chagossians.”
The deal included UK commitments to fund a trust for Chagossians, support resettlement on other islands (excluding Diego Garcia), and work together on environmental protection and “maritime security” initiatives.
Initial statements from the Biden administration welcomed the agreement, with former Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it would “secure the operational future of the joint U.S.-UK military facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.”
By May 2025, the agreement was formalized, with the U.S. State Department under the incoming Trump administration initially expressing support. A statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, published on May 22, 2025, reads: “This milestone reflects the enduring strength of the U.S.-UK relationship—a relationship that, as demonstrated by the U.S.-UK trade deal announced on May 8, extends far beyond defense to encompass economic growth, innovation, and shared global leadership.”
“Although the United States is not a party to this agreement, we remain responsible for operating the U.S. Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, which continues to play a vital role in supporting forward-deployed operational forces and advancing security across the region,” Rubio added at that time.
However, opposition has mounted recently, particularly from Republicans concerned about Mauritius’s ties to China and potential security risks.
Sen. Kennedy has continued to be vocal about the importance of holding on to Diego Garcia, warning earlier this year that the transfer could expose the area to Chinese espionage and urging the U.S. not to “bow to UN plans” that benefit Beijing.
In a February 2025 speech, Kennedy renewed his vocal calls to protect the base ahead of Starmer’s Washington visit.
“Mauritius is very close to China. Mauritius has a very lucrative trade agreement with China, and you’ll not be surprised to learn that, after all of this has been developing, China all of a sudden is Mauritius’s best friend. Do you know why? Because if Prime Minister Starmer does this, Mauritius is going to own the base. They are going to own the base,” Kennedy said in February.
For now, the UK is pressing ahead with the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.
