Trump slams U.K.’s move to hand over Chagos Islands

INTERNATIONAL – AFRICA

A startled British government defended its decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the plan, which his administration had previously supported.
Mr. Trump said that relinquishing the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, home to a strategically important American naval and bomber base, was an act of “stupidity” that shows why he needs to take over Greenland.
“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,” he said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. “There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.”
“The U.K. giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,” Mr. Trump said.

Colonial rule

The U.K. kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence from Britain in the 1960s.
But it evicted thousands of Chagos islanders, who have since mounted a series of legal claims for compensation in British courts.
An estimated 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their descendants now live primarily in Britain, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

Diego Garcia on 99-year lease

The United Kingdom and Mauritius signed a deal in May 2025 to give Mauritius sovereignty over the Chagos Islands after two centuries under British control, though the U.K. will lease back Diego Garcia where the U.S. base, home to about 2,500 mostly American personnel, is located, for at least 99 years.
The U.S. government welcomed the agreement at the time, saying it “secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint U.S.-U.K. military facility at Diego Garcia.”

Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine, proclaimed by U.S. President James Monroe in 1823, was a foundational U.S. foreign policy stating that European powers should not further colonize or interfere in the Americas, establishing the Western Hemisphere as a distinct sphere of influence for the U.S..
In return, the U.S. pledged not to meddle in European affairs or existing colonies, asserting separate spheres and non-intervention, and became a cornerstone for U.S. dominance and security in the Americas.