Africa-Press. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Britain of making a “sheer folly” by signing a 2024 agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius, while he himself seeks to take control of Denmark’s Greenland.
Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social: “Abandoning a territory of such critical importance is a major blunder, and it’s one more reason among a very long list related to national security that justifies acquiring Greenland.”
This marks a significant shift in Trump’s stance, after he had previously supported the agreement.
In 2024, Britain reached a “historic” agreement with Mauritius, recognizing the sovereignty of its former colony over the Chagos Islands while retaining a joint U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago, under a lease contract.
Britain had retained the Chagos Islands after its former colony gained independence in the 1960s.
The shrewd ally
Trump wrote: “In a shocking move, Britain, our (shrewd) NATO ally, is currently planning to hand over Diego Garcia, home to a vital U.S. military base, to Mauritius, for absolutely no reason.”
He added: “There is no doubt that China and Russia are noticing this action, which shows total weakness. These are international powers that respect only strength. That’s why the U.S. under my leadership is respected after just one year as never before.”
Trump compared Chagos to Greenland, stating: “Denmark and its European allies must do what is necessary.”
The Chagos agreement was signed last May in London, with U.S. support at the time.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised on X the agreement, saying it “ensures a long-term, stable, and effective use of the Diego Garcia base, essential for regional and global security.”
Britain and Mauritius defend the Chagos agreement
Both Britain and Mauritius have defended the agreement to return the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritian sovereignty.
A British government spokesperson at Downing Street responded to Trump’s remarks, saying that the agreement “ensures the continued operation of the U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia for generations to come.”
The spokesperson added that the agreement “has been publicly welcomed by the United States and Australia, as well as all other Five Eyes allies—Canada and New Zealand—and key international partners including India, Japan, and South Korea.”
Historical background
The dispute dates back to 1968, when Britain retained control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence. In subsequent years, around 2,000 residents of the archipelago, especially on Diego Garcia, were forcibly removed to make way for the military base.
In Mauritius, the government has stated that returning the Chagos Islands to national sovereignty “should no longer be up for discussion.” Port Louis maintains a firm and balanced stance on the issue, affirming its commitment to the agreement while awaiting Britain’s completion of legislative procedures to ratify the treaty.
Mauritian authorities view Trump’s statements as a “sudden shift in the U.S. position,” causing concern and anger within the country, especially among political leaders and representatives of Chagos residents. Mauritius emphasized that the agreement was negotiated and signed exclusively between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius, with no third-party involvement.
The Mauritian government welcomed initial British statements confirming London’s intention to ratify the agreement once parliamentary procedures are complete.
In a press statement, Mauritian Justice Minister Gavin Glover stressed that “the sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago is conclusively recognized under international law and should no longer be questioned.”
Domestically, Khoshal Lubin, a member of the majority party in parliament, expressed “surprise and concern over the rapidly evolving global geopolitics.” Meanwhile, Olivier Bancoult, leader of the Chagossian group, denounced Trump’s position as “incomprehensible,” reaffirming his confidence in Britain’s ratification of the agreement.
Bancoult stated that the agreement represents a necessary step “to redress a historical injustice spanning more than sixty years” and to enable the Chagos residents to return home after decades of forced displacement.
