Trump blasts Starmer on Chagos deal in shock change of tune
President Trump has attacked Keir Starmer for the UK’s giveaway of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, even though he gave his blessing to the deal last year.
In a new Truth Social post scolding the Prime Minister over the Chagos deal, which includes a shared US military base at Diego Garcia that will be leased for 99 years at a multi-billion-pound cost, Trump called Starmer’s deal an “act of great stupidity”.
He said the Chagos deal was one reason for his desire to take over Greenland amid threats to Arctic security.
Just last year, the US president and secretary of state Marco Rubio gave their blessing to the deal when it was approved.
Trump’s new attack on Starmer, which will shock Labour government officials after the Prime Minister called for calm in negotiations, adds to the ongoing diplomatic rift brewing between the US and Europe.
Trump wrote in his post: “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
“There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before.
“The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
When Starmer signed the deal last May, the US released a statement in support of the “monumental achievement”.
The US statement then said the deal reflected the “enduring strength of the US-UK relationship”.
Starmer suffers fresh blow
Trump’s change of tune deals a blow to Starmer, who has relied on his diplomatic skills to keep the US president on side.
Chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones said Starmer remained calm and would “continue to talk to President Trump privately”.
Jones also defended the Chagos deal during a round of interviews on Tuesday morning.
Despite backing the Prime Minister in recent days over condemning Trump’s tariff threats, the Labour government’s opponents jumped on the news of the statement, given their criticism of the deal.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the government “shouldn’t need Trump’s intervention” to make it reconsider the deal.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said, “Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos Islands.”