British prime minister Keir Starmer and U.S. president Donald Trump have agreed to work “closely” to ensure the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean.
The two leaders discussed the base during a recent telephone conversation following Trump’s criticism of the UK’s decision to hand over the Chagos Islands, which includes Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. Under a deal agreed in May last year, the UK will surrender the islands to Mauritius while retaining the Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease, jointly operated by U.S. and British forces.
Trump had previously called the handover “extremely important land” given away in “GREAT STUPIDITY,” adding that it highlighted national security concerns and arguing for the acquisition of Greenland. Starmer responded, describing Trump’s comments as an attempt to exert pressure amid European resistance to U.S. claims on Greenland. On the Diego Garcia base, the PM’s office declared
The leaders agreed their governments would continue working closely to guarantee the future operation of the base and speak again soon.
