Donald Trump plots massive blow to Keir Starmer over Chagos deal

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to write to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the controversial Chagos Islands agreement.

According to GB News, a letter could arrive “imminently,” signaling a withdrawal of U.S. support for the deal, which would see the British Indian Ocean Territory, including the island of Diego Garcia, leased to Mauritius while maintaining a long-term U.S.-UK military presence. Sir Keir had previously told the House of Commons that Washington supported the arrangement.

The plan has faced opposition from MPs and analysts, who argue that it risks giving away a strategically important military base. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially expressed U.S. support, former President Donald Trump recently criticized the agreement on social media, calling it an “act of great stupidity” and warning it signals weakness to nations like China and Russia.

Robert Midgley of Friends of the British Overseas Territories told GB News that U.S. officials confirmed they would formally communicate this change of stance to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, citing Trump’s comments. He added that the UK government has not fully accounted for the shift in U.S. policy.

Conservative voices have criticized the UK-Mauritius deal, calling it a “surrender” of sovereignty, while the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Dame Priti Patel, claimed the government had misled critics. The Conservatives recently pushed for a pause on the legislation in the House of Lords due to “changing geopolitical circumstances.”

Labour officials, including Foreign Minister Seema Malhotra, countered that Tory criticism was politically motivated and could compromise national security. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson maintained that the UK government’s position remains unchanged, emphasizing that the deal protects joint U.S.-UK military operations and their strategic advantages, as noted in coverage like this report.