Nigel Farage has said he would be willing to 'trade' the Chagos Islands, home of the Diego Garcia military base, to Donald Trump for the Falklands. The Reform UK leader faced criticism from Kemi Badenoch after he suggested he would be willing to 'trade' control of the high-profile Diego Garcia military base to secure Trump's silence on the Falklands.
Farage's proposal on US podcast
Speaking on US podcast The Benny Show, Farage said: 'Donald's been a friend for many, many years. There are very few human beings I know with whom I agree on so much as I do with Donald Trump.'
'I'd have gone in and said, "Right, you know what, mate? Chagos, it's yours. Diego Garcia, in perpetuity, the most strategic American military base in the world, which it is. Outside mainland America, Diego is the most important thing America has for nuclear subs, for long-range bombers, for all of it."'
'I'd have said, "Right, I'm guaranteeing you that. I'm giving up on this surrender. In return, just please stop talking about the Falkland Islands. I know you like Milei, but this really matters to us". And there's a trade, you see.'
Badenoch's criticism
Badenoch said it was 'mad for someone who wants to be Prime Minister to say we should give away one piece of British territory just to stop an American president talking about another'. She added: 'The Chagos Islands are British. And the Falklands are British, and will remain British, irrespective of what the American president says.'
'When Donald Trump is right, we should say so. When he is wrong, we should have the confidence to tell him. This is careless, loose talk from a man who wants to be responsible for Britain's national security.'
Farage's clarification and reaction
In a post on X, Farage said he did not mean he would give up British control of the Chagos Islands to America, but 'would offer the use of Diego Garcia to the USA in perpetuity.' US government sources told several news outlets overnight that they did not interpret Farage's remarks as an offer to give up sovereignty of Chagos to America, as Badenoch had.
Argentina has stepped up its rhetoric on the Falklands, and its president Milei has launched a legal challenge to stop British-led exploration work at the Sea Lion oilfield off the islands' waters. Foreign Office minister Uma Kumaran told the Commons she will do 'whatever it takes' to support islanders. He also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Falkland Islanders are confident the British Government would defend them 'if that was ever required'.
