US President Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned the UK’s deal to hand over sovereignty of the long-disputed Chagos Islands, saying Britain plans to hand over the island of Diego Garcia to Mauritius, home to a vital US military base.
Chagos Islands is an archipelago of more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean.
Last year, the UK and Mauritius signed an agreement to transfer sovereignty over the disputed Chagos Islands.
According to an AP report, British cabinet minister Darren Jones said the deal would “secure this military base for the next 100 years.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the deal to hand over “extremely important land” an “act of great stupidity” and noted that this is why Greenland needs to be acquired.
“Shockingly, our ‘great’ NATO ally, the UK, is currently planning to donate the island of Diego Garcia, the location of an important US military base, to Mauritius, for NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”
Trump went on to say that there is no doubt that China and Russia saw this act of utter weakness, adding: “They are international powers that only recognize STRENGTH, and that is why the United States of America under my leadership is now, after only one year, respected as never before.
“Denmark and its European allies must DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the president said.
Interestingly, in May last year, the US government welcomed the deal, noting that the move ensures long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint US-UK military establishment.
Meanwhile, Britain has defended its deal, saying it will never back down on national security.
“The UK will never compromise our national security. We acted because the Diego Garcia base was threatened after a court ruling undermined our position and would prevent it from operating as intended in the future,” Reuters reported, citing a government spokesman.
“This agreement ensures the operation of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust measures to preserve its unique capabilities and keep our adversaries out.”
