The US president has labeled Britain’s choice to transfer the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius as “an act of great stupidity”
Local media reports that the British government has indefinitely delayed the debate on a bill that would enshrine into law the UK’s handover of the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.
This move follows US President Donald Trump—who previously seemed to back the May 2025 agreement between London and the island nation—lashing out at the planned transfer on Tuesday. He called the UK’s decision an act of “great stupidity” and “total weakness,” accusing it of giving away “extremely important land” that hosts a “vital US military base.”
On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired back at Trump, claiming that the former president criticized the Chagos deal “for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland.” The PM insisted he would not yield on his stance that Greenland is part of Denmark.
Late Friday, the Labour government decided the Chagos Islands agreement would not be debated in the House of Lords on Monday as planned. The upper house will take up the issue at an unspecified later date, the BBC reported.
Earlier that day, the Conservatives called for a pause, arguing the bill violates a 1996 UK-US agreement which states the Indian Ocean territory must remain under UK sovereignty to be available to both countries for security purposes.
According to The Telegraph, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch discussed the Chagos issue with US House Speaker Mike Johnson during his visit to the British Parliament on Monday.
Starmer’s agreement with Mauritius allows the US and UK to retain control of a joint military base on the archipelago’s largest island Diego Garcia for an initial 99-year period, at a reported total value of $3.9 billion.
A UK government spokesperson told the BBC that it “remains fully committed” to securing the Diego Garcia base. The spokesperson also accused the Conservatives of “irresponsible and reckless behavior,” saying that “their roles is to check legislation, not interfere with our national security priorities.”
The cabinet maintains that the handover of the Chagos Islands is essential for security reasons and would avoid a costly legal battle with Mauritius over the territory.
