WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Britain's lease of Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-British military base in the Indian Ocean Chagos archipelago, a "big mistake," noting it could be critical if tensions with Iran escalate.
Under a deal announced in May 2025, Britain agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for 99 years at 101 million pounds (136 million U.S. dollars) annually.
In 1965, Britain detached the archipelago from Mauritius, then a British colony, to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. In 1966, Britain leased Diego Garcia to the United States as a joint U.S.-British military facility.
Noting that it "may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia" if nuclear talks with Iran fail, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he has been warning British Prime Minister Keir Starmer against entering the lease.
"Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease," Trump wrote, warning that failing to retain control would be "a blight on our Great Ally."
This comes a day after Washington officially backed London's plan to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with the U.S. State Department saying it "supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago."
In response to Trump's criticism, the British Foreign Office said the Chagos Islands deal was "crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies, and to keeping the British people safe."
"The agreement we have reached is the only way to guarantee the long-term future of this vital military base," it said in a statement.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, criticized what he described as U.S. "flip-flopping" on the issue, saying that Britain can't rely on the United States "while Trump is in the White House."
"It's time to strengthen our ties with allies we can depend on, starting with our neighbours in Europe," he said. ■
