Trump slams UK giving up the Chagos Islands, calling it an act of 'great stupidity'
FILE - President Donald Trump is seen during a news conference with Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, on the second day of the 2025 NATO Summit on June 25, 2025, in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed the United Kingdom over a deal to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
“Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” Trump wrote on TRUTH Social early Tuesday morning.
Trump said that this was a moment of weakness that was recognized by Russia and China.
“These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before,” the post continued. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
The U.K. defended the deal, following Trump’s criticism.
"I don't think Britain should be embarrassed or humiliated at all, quite frankly,” Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said, according to the BBC.
According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump supported the deal when he signed in 2025.
President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm,” Starmer said.
