Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces renewed uncertainty as US President Donald Trump has once again publicly criticised the UK’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Trump’s latest broadside marks the continuation of a pattern where he has repeatedly given and withdrawn his support for the deal over the past year.
Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will cede control of the Chagos archipelago while retaining access to the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island, under a 99-year lease. The UK would also pay for the base’s maintenance as part of the arrangement.
The US president’s position has been described as playing “hokey cokey” with his backing, moving from approval to opposition and back again. This flip-flopping has complicated diplomatic efforts and left the future of the base and territorial transfer uncertain.
