Britain has indicated it will pause the planned transfer of the Chagos Islands, home to a vital US-UK military base, following strong opposition from US President Donald Trump. A former senior government official revealed that the UK government was effectively compelled to abandon the handover due to the president’s disapproval. Simon McDonald, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, stated that the deal would be placed in “deep freeze” as the government reassesses its position in light of the US stance.
Downing Street, representing Prime Minister Keir Starmer, emphasized that the handover would only proceed if supported by the United States. This statement came amid reports that the legislation enabling the transfer of the Indian Ocean archipelago back to Mauritius was nearing expiration in Parliament, with no new bill expected to be introduced.
In January, Trump criticized the agreement harshly, labeling it “great stupidity” on the part of London. The deal, agreed last May, would have seen Britain return the islands—located approximately 2,000 kilometers northeast of Mauritius—to its former colony, while leasing Diego Garcia, the largest island and site of the military base, for 100 years.
Notably, the UK had yet to receive a formal exchange of notes from Washington, a necessary legal step for the treaty’s enactment. This delay has caused the legislation’s deadline to approach as Parliament faces dissolution in the coming weeks, a situation described as “deeply frustrating” by a government insider.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the agreement, stating it deserved to be discarded as a historical mistake. She criticized the previous Prime Minister for attempting to cede British sovereign territory and agreeing to pay £35 billion to lease a critical military base that was already under UK control.
Downing Street confirmed ongoing engagement with both the US and Mauritius, underscoring Diego Garcia’s importance as a strategic military asset for both nations. The government reiterated that securing the base’s long-term operational viability remains its top priority, which was the primary motivation behind the original deal.
Although Trump initially endorsed the agreement, he later condemned it on his social media platform, Truth Social, accusing the UK of weakness and warning that adversaries like China and Russia had taken note. He also suggested that the US should consider acquiring Greenland from Denmark to strengthen its strategic position.
Diego Garcia is one of two bases the UK has allowed the US to use for operations described by the British government as defensive measures in the conflict with Iran. Under the proposed deal, Britain would have retained a 99-year lease on the base, with an option to extend. While the UK government has not officially disclosed the lease cost, it could be around £90 million ($111 million) annually.
Prime Minister Starmer has argued that international legal decisions have cast doubt on Britain’s sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, making an agreement with Mauritius essential to ensure the base’s continued functionality. The UK retained control of the islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s, forcibly removing thousands of Chagos islanders who have since pursued legal claims for compensation. In 2019, the International Court of Justice advised that Britain should return the archipelago to Mauritius.
