Chagos deal on ice as Trump opposition forces UK rethink

The United Kingdom has effectively put plans to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on hold after strong criticism from US President Donald Trump, signalling a setback to a landmark decolonisation agreement. The British government struck a deal last year with Mauritius to return the Indian Ocean archipelago, while leasing back Diego Garcia, the largest island and home to a key US-UK military base, for up to a century.

However, the plan has now been shelved amid concerns over Washington’s opposition. Trump had earlier condemned the agreement as “an act of great stupidity”, raising doubts over continued US support for the arrangement.

In a statement on Saturday, Downing Street said the UK would only proceed if it had backing from the United States. “We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support,” a spokesperson said, responding to reports that legislation required to implement the agreement would not be introduced.

British media reported that the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is unlikely to bring forward a new Chagos bill after the existing legislative window ran out in Parliament, effectively stalling the process.

Simon McDonald, a former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, said the government had little choice but to reconsider in light of Washington’s stance. “When the president of the United States is openly hostile, the government has to rethink, so this agreement will go into the deep freeze for the time being,” he told BBC Radio.

The Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory, have long been at the centre of a sovereignty dispute, with Mauritius pressing for their return. The proposed deal was seen as a step towards resolving the issue while preserving the strategic role of the Diego Garcia base, which is vital for US military operations in the region.