UK Defends Chagos Islands Deal After Trump Calls Handover 'Act of Great Stupidity'

US/UK controversy as Trump describes handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as a ‘great stupidity’

The UK Ministry of Defense has said, “it will never compromise on our national security,” after US president Donald Trump condemned London’s “great stupidity” for handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Under the agreement UK is allowed to keep control of the Diego Garcia military base while agreeing to hand the islands to Mauritius.

ANALYSIS | Europe’s 'appeasement' strategy with Trump has failed. So what comes next?

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of an act of “great stupidity” for returning an island to Mauritius that houses an important military base. The episode shows how fast Trump can turn on international partners, and raises questions about Europe’s strategy for dealing with the volatile U.S. president.

UK defends Chagos Islands deal after Trump labels it stupid

The UK Government has said a 2025 deal to hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius had secured the future of a key US-UK military base on the Indian Ocean...

All About Chagos Islands As Trump Calls UK's Sovereignty Deal 'Stupidity'

US President Donald Trump has turned his fire on a deal between Britain and Mauritius to settle the future of the Chagos Islands, the contested Indian Ocean archipelago that is home to a strategic US military base.

Trump u-turns on U.K.'s Chagos Islands deal, claims it's another reason "Greenland has to be acquired" by U.S.

Trump says the U.K. decision to hand a strategic island to Mauritius, which he previously supported, was stupid, and justification for his attempt to acquire Greenland.

Trump Calls Britain’s Chagos Deal ‘Act of Great Stupidity,’ in Blow to Starmer

President Trump’s criticism reversed his administration’s previous support for the deal, in which Britain relinquished control of the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius.