Chagos Islands Deal on Hold as Trump Objects, UK Officials Say
UK officials believe the Chagos Islands agreement with Mauritius cannot be revived while Donald Trump opposes it, with no sign it can be adapted to suit the US president.
The Chagos Islands agreement between the UK and Mauritius is on hold for as long as Donald Trump objects to it, UK officials believe, with no immediate indication that the plan can be reshaped to accommodate the US president. The three-way arrangement, which would see Britain make payments to Mauritius to retain access to the Diego Garcia military base, was thrown into doubt after Trump publicly criticised it as «a terrible deal» during a meeting with Andy Burnham at the UN general assembly.
Despite the setback, the prime minister has said he is «confident» the UK will be able to find a solution to revive the proposal. However, insiders suggest that the agreement is unlikely to be revived unless Trump changes his mind, and there are no signs that it can be adapted to suit his concerns. The deal would see the UK make payments to Mauritius for continued access to the Diego Garcia military base, a strategically important facility in the Indian Ocean.
Wes Streeting, a senior UK government figure, has said the handover deal «can't go ahead» without US support, underscoring the critical role Washington plays in the arrangement. The comments highlight the extent to which the UK's plans for the Chagos Islands depend on American approval, given the base's significance to US military operations.
The Chagos Islands, a British Indian Ocean Territory, have been the subject of long-running negotiations between the UK and Mauritius, which claims sovereignty over the archipelago. The proposed deal would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia base for continued UK and US use. The agreement was seen as a way to resolve a decades-old dispute and secure the future of the military facility, which has been used by the US for operations in the region.
Trump's intervention at the UN general assembly has left the deal in limbo. His meeting with Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, became the platform for his criticism of the plan. Burnham's presence at the event has also drawn attention to his broader comments on international issues, including his call for artificial intelligence safety to be treated as a matter for governments rather than left to chance. His remarks came as Trump said he would encourage AI development rather than seek to rein it in, signalling a divergence in approach between the two figures.
For the UK, the impasse presents a diplomatic challenge. The government must balance its relationship with the US, its commitments to Mauritius, and the strategic need to maintain access to Diego Garcia. The prime minister's confidence that a solution can be found may rest on the hope that Trump can be persuaded to change his position, but officials see no immediate path to that outcome.
The standoff also raises questions about the future of the base and the wider geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean, where the US and its allies are increasingly focused on countering Chinese influence. Without US backing, the deal cannot proceed, leaving the UK to manage the consequences of a stalled agreement that was intended to bring certainty to a contested territory.
As it stands, the Chagos deal remains frozen, with UK officials acknowledging that any revival depends on a shift in Washington's stance. For now, the plan is on hold, and the search for a workable solution continues without a clear breakthrough in sight.
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