US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its decision to hand over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, calling the move an act of “great stupidity”.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the UK was surrendering strategically important territory, warning that the decision could weaken national security. He also connected the issue to his long-held view that the United States must acquire Greenland for security reasons.
The remarks represent a notable shift in Trump’s position, as he had previously expressed support for the UK-Mauritius agreement.
Under the deal, Britain will transfer control of the Chagos archipelago to its former colony, Mauritius, while paying to lease the strategically vital US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain.
Britain retained control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. During that period, thousands of Chagos islanders were forcibly removed from their homes, leading to decades of legal challenges in British courts seeking compensation.
In 2019, following years of legal disputes, the International Court of Justice ruled that the United Kingdom should end its administration of the islands and return them to Mauritius.