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Diego Garcia Dispute: Trump Criticizes UK Plan, ⁣Links to Greenland Acquisition

WASHINGTON – ⁣On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, former ⁤U.S. President‍ Donald Trump publicly ⁣criticized the United Kingdom’s plan ⁤to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including the island of Diego Garcia,‍ to Mauritius. Trump characterized the move as “a massive act of stupidity” and suggested it further justifies the United States acquiring Greenland. He voiced ⁣these concerns via his social media platform,Truth⁢ Social.

Background of the Dispute

Diego Garcia is a strategically vital island in the ⁣Indian Ocean,currently hosting ⁣a joint U.S.-UK military base.⁤ The island’s history is complex, marked by the forced ⁤displacement of its original inhabitants, the Chagossians, in the 1960s and 70s to ⁢make way for the base (Wikipedia). For decades, ⁣the UK maintained control of the ‍Chagos Archipelago,‍ while the U.S. utilized Diego Garcia for military operations, ⁣notably during the ‍Cold war and the “War on Terror.”

UK-Mauritius Agreement

In ⁣october 2024, ⁢the United Kingdom announced an agreement to transfer ⁢sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius (Reuters). This agreement was formally signed in May 2025.The transfer acknowledges Mauritius’s‍ long-standing claim⁢ to the islands and aims to address the grievances of the chagossian people, who have been seeking⁢ the right to ⁢return to their homeland. However,the future ⁢of the U.S. military base remains a ‍key point of contention.

Trump’s Reaction and Concerns

Trump strongly opposed the ⁤UK’s decision, stating that⁢ relinquishing control of Diego Garcia is a “total act of ⁢weakness” that Russia ⁤and China will exploit. He argued that the move undermines U.S. national security interests and ⁣provides further justification⁢ for the‍ U.S. to acquire Greenland, a territory he previously expressed interest in purchasing (BBC News