Keir Starmer has stated that US intelligence agencies disagree with Donald Trump’s newly expressed opposition to the Chagos Islands deal, as he insisted the agreement was a 'done deal' that would not be scuppered by the US president. Speaking on a flight to Beijing, the prime minister said the Trump administration had supported the deal after a three-month review at agency level.
Downing Street sources told the Guardian that the deal, formally approved by Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart last October, is final and would not be derailed by Trump’s fiery rhetoric. They added that the UK government had heard nothing from the US State Department or intelligence agencies indicating a change of position, despite Trump claiming the transfer was an 'act of great stupidity'.
Starmer revealed he had discussed Chagos with Trump multiple times, and that the US defence secretary Marco Rubio and Trump himself had previously made clear their support. The prime minister suggested Trump’s apparent U-turn might be linked to his attempts to acquire Greenland, another strategically important territory.
Under the deal, the UK will hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but retain a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia, home to a key US military base. The cost is projected at £3.4bn. British officials say the deal was agreed under pressure from Washington, which was concerned about the base’s future if Mauritius won a case at the International Court of Justice.
The next stage of the legislation has been delayed in the House of Lords, with Downing Street confirming this was due to ongoing discussions with the US. A No 10 spokesperson said the UK was continuing to work with the US on the treaty.
