A startled British authorities on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) defended its choice at hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the plan, which his administration had beforehand supported.
Ed Davey, chief of the centrist Liberal Democrat get together, mentioned Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer ought to start to face as much as the U.S. chief. Saying that Mr. Trump is “appearing like a world gangster,” Mr. Davey mentioned: “This exhibits Starmer’s strategy to Trump has failed. The Chagos Deal was offered as proof the federal government may work with him. Now it’s falling aside. It’s time for the federal government to face as much as Trump; appeasing a bully by no means works.”
Mr. Trump mentioned that relinquishing the distant Indian Ocean archipelago, house to a strategically vital American naval and bomber base, was an act of stupidity that exhibits why he must take over Greenland.
Trump on Chagos Islands
“Shockingly, our good’ NATO Ally, the UK, is at present planning to present away the Island of Diego Garcia, the location of a significant US Navy Base, to Mauritius, and to take action FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” he mentioned in a publish on his social media platform Reality Social. “There isn’t any doubt that China and Russia have observed this act of complete weak spot.” “The UK giving freely extraordinarily vital land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is one other in a really lengthy line of Nationwide Safety the reason why Greenland needs to be acquired,” Mr. Trump mentioned.
The blast from Mr. Trump was a rebuff to efforts by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to calm tensions over Greenland and patch up a frayed trans-Atlantic relationship. Mr. Starmer on Monday (January 19, 2026) known as Mr. Trump’s statements about taking on Greenland “utterly mistaken,” however known as for the rift to be “resolved by means of calm dialogue.” The UK and Mauritius signed a deal in Could to present Mauritius sovereignty over the Chago Islands after two centuries below British management, although the UK will lease again Diego Garcia the place the U.S. base is positioned, for at the very least 99 years.
The U.S. authorities welcomed the settlement on the time, saying it “secures the long-term, secure, and efficient operation of the joint U.S.-U.Ok. army facility at Diego Garcia.” U.Ok. Cupboard Minister Darren Jones mentioned on Tuesday that the settlement would “safe that army base for the following 100 years.”
Returning the islands to Mauritius
In recent times, the United Nations and its prime courtroom have urged Britain to return the islands to Mauritius, and the British authorities says it is appearing to guard the safety of the bottom from worldwide authorized problem.
A authorities spokesperson mentioned that “the UK won’t ever compromise on our nationwide safety,” and “this deal secures the operations of the joint U.S-U.Ok. base on Diego Garcia for generations, with strong provisions for conserving its distinctive capabilities intact and our adversaries out.” However the deal has met robust opposition from British opposition events, which say that giving up the islands places them vulnerable to interference by China and Russia.
Islanders who have been displaced from the islands to make approach for the U.S. base say they weren’t consulted and fear the deal will make it more durable for them to go house.
Laws to approve the settlement has been handed by the Home of Commons, however confronted robust opposition in Parliament’s higher chamber, the Home of Lords, which authorised it, whereas additionally passing a “movement of remorse” lamenting the laws. It is due again within the Commons on Tuesday for additional debate.
Conservative Celebration chief Kemi Badenoch criticised Mr. Starmer’s Labour Celebration authorities over the settlement.
Ms. Badenoch mentioned in an X publish that Mr. Trump is correct and that Mr. Starmer’s “plan to present away the Chagos Islands is a horrible coverage that weakens UK safety and arms away our sovereign territory. And to prime it off, makes us and our NATO allies weaker within the face of our enemies.” Reform UK chief Nigel Farage, an ally of the President, mentioned: “Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the give up of the Chagos islands.” The U.S. has described the Diego Garcia base, which is house to about 2,500 largely American personnel, as “an all however indispensable platform” for safety operations within the Center East, South Asia and East Africa.
The Chagos Islands have been below British management since 1814, after they have been ceded by France. Britain cut up the islands away from Mauritius, a former British colony, in 1965, and evicted as many as 2,000 folks from the islands so the U.S. army may construct the Diego Garcia base.
An estimated 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their descendants now reside primarily in Britain, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Some have fought unsuccessfully in UK courts for a few years for the precise to go house.
The U.Ok.-Mauritius deal requires a resettlement fund to be created for displaced islanders to assist them transfer again to the islands — other than Diego Garcia.
With inputs from AP, AFP
Printed – January 20, 2026 05:37 pm IST
