Trump Opposes UK-Mauritius Diego Garcia Lease, Cites Potential Need for Iran Contingency Operations
President Trump has publicly opposed the UK-Mauritius 99-year lease of Diego Garcia, warning Prime Minister Starmer the arrangement risks undermining US access to this key Indian Ocean base.
INDIAN OCEAN — President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the United Kingdom’s agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease and full defense rights on Diego Garcia.
Trump described the arrangement as a “big mistake” in a Truth Social post dated February 18 and explicitly linked the base’s future utility to a scenario in which Iran refuses a nuclear deal.
The United Kingdom maintains operational control and security responsibility for Diego Garcia under the lease framework, which supports long-range air and naval operations across the Indo-Pacific and Persian Gulf.
The State Department responded the same day, reiterating that diplomacy remains the preferred path while noting Iran would be wise to reach an agreement.
Key Developments in the Diego Garcia Dispute
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