Donald Trump appears set to back Sir Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands handover following fresh security commitments from Downing Street in a move set to cause dismay amongst Chagossians who wish to remain British and large parts of the UK public and defence establishment.
The US president is reported to have shifted his stance after sustained pressure from British diplomats and American intelligence officials alongside new safeguards offered by Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the military installation.
Britain’s agreement to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius requires White House approval because the territory hosts Diego Garcia – a joint UK-US defence facility.
The arrangement will see Britain surrender the islands while leasing back the military base at an estimated cost of £35bn over 99 years.
Starmer maintains that failing to legally transfer sovereignty from Britain to Mauritius would expose the base’s operations to courtroom battles, though detractors describe relinquishing the British Overseas Territory as “surrender” and warn the installation could fall under Beijing’s sway through Mauritius’s Chinese connections.
Initial approval reversed
Trump initially accepted Labour’s rationale after assuming office last year, signalling probable endorsement during Starmer’s inaugural Washington trip.
The president abandoned that position last month following clashes with Nato partners over his Greenland annexation proposal, writing on Truth Social on January 20 that Britain was “planning to give away […] the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, […] FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”
Trump added: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY.”
The abrupt reversal triggered alarm across Whitehall, prompting British officials to mount a diplomatic offensive aimed at restoring Trump’s backing.
National security adviser Jonathan Powell led discussions involving the Foreign Office, 10 Downing Street, the US State Department, the White House and American intelligence services, while Defence Secretary John Healey held conversations with his Washington counterpart Pete Hegseth within recent days.
Tuesday evening brought a telephone exchange between Starmer and Trump where both praised the “strategic importance” of Diego Garcia and agreed to “continue working closely to guarantee the future operation of the base,” according to a Downing Street spokesman.
Trump is anticipated to deliver final approval during a second call scheduled for Wednesday evening, though sources emphasised the agreement remains unapproved until the president provides verbal confirmation.
Timeline remains fluid
Trump’s track record includes switching positions or prolonging negotiations at crucial moments, with Downing Street sources acknowledging the call’s timing could shift.
Negotiations saw the Trump administration extract additional security assurances designed to shield the base from Chinese meddling, with the guarantees aiming to satisfy apprehensions among US officials, particularly within Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s circle.
Rubio has previously attacked the deal and instructed his department’s legal team to scrutinise the UK’s justification.
Additional security provisions offer Trump an “off ramp” allowing him to alter course without appearing weak before China hawks in his administration and Congress.
Whether any modifications require Mauritius’s consent remains uncertain after the nation approved the current agreement following lengthy negotiations last year, though US officials recently travelled to Mauritius and may have exploited governmental discussions there to secure further security commitments.
