‘We Did It for Security’: UK Hits Back After Trump Calls Chagos Deal ‘Great Stupidity’
LONDON — The United Kingdom government has firmly rejected President Donald Trump’s blistering criticism of the agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, insisting that the deal was the only way to secure the long-term future of the strategic US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
The rebuttal follows a fiery intervention by the US President, who on Monday described the treaty as an “act of great stupidity” and questioned why Britain would surrender such a critical geopolitical asset.
Speaking to reporters in London on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) dismissed the suggestion that the deal weakens Western security, arguing instead that it cements it for the next century.
Trump’s “Bad Deal” Attack
The diplomatic row ignited after President Trump, known for his transactional approach to foreign policy, tore into the agreement during a press interaction.
Egging on the criticism was Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, a close ally of Trump, who had earlier slammed the Labour government’s decision as a “surrender” to international pressure.
“I think it’s a bad deal. I think it’s an act of great stupidity,” Trump reportedly said when asked about the transfer. “You have a base there that is very important. Why would you give up the land? It makes us look weak.”
UK: “We Secured the Base”
Defending the decision, the UK government argued that the status quo was legally unsustainable. Officials pointed out that international courts—including the International Court of Justice (ICJ)—had already ruled that Britain’s administration of the territory was unlawful.
“Without this treaty, the future of the base was uncertain and vulnerable to legal challenges that could have forced a chaotic exit,” the UK government spokesperson stated. “This deal guarantees our authority over Diego Garcia for the next 99 years. We have traded a disputed title for undisputed security.”
The government emphasized that the base, which plays a pivotal role in US operations across the Indian Ocean and the Middle East, will remain fully operational under UK-US control.
A “Win-Win” or a Strategic Loss?
The agreement, finalized late last year, sees Mauritius gain sovereignty over the archipelago, including the right to resettle the islands, while the UK retains control of the military facility on Diego Garcia.
However, critics like Farage and senior US Republicans argue that granting Mauritius—a nation with growing economic ties to China—sovereignty over the territory opens the door for Beijing to conduct surveillance on Western naval operations.
The UK government insists that specific clauses in the treaty prevent “foreign armed forces” (other than the US and UK) from accessing the islands, specifically to counter the Chinese threat.