Why the Chagos Islands Matter and Why Trump Is Criticizing Britain’s Plan to Give Them Up

The Chagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the central Indian Ocean, have become the focus of renewed international debate after President Donald Trump accused the United Kingdom of acting “stupidly” by planning to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius.

The islands, located more than 1,000 miles northeast of Mauritius, were taken over by Britain in 1814. In the 1960s, during the Cold War, the UK separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius and retained control of the territory, later allowing the United States to build a major military base on Diego Garcia in 1971. That base has since played a key role in U.S. and allied military operations, including missions in the Middle East and across Asia.

Mauritius has long claimed sovereignty over the islands, arguing they were unlawfully separated prior to its independence in 1968. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK should return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as part of completing the decolonization process. While the ruling was non-binding, it increased pressure on Britain to act.

Under a treaty approved in 2025, the UK agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia. Britain will pay Mauritius roughly $136 million annually, allowing continued U.S. and UK military use of the base.

Trump, who previously praised the agreement, has now reversed course, arguing that relinquishing sovereignty signals weakness that could be exploited by China and Russia. His comments have reignited criticism among British opposition leaders, though the ruling Labour government maintains the deal is consistent with international law.

The agreement has also drawn criticism from parts of the Chagossian community, many of whom say they were excluded from negotiations and oppose the transfer. While the future of the deal remains uncertain, the dispute highlights growing tensions between legal obligations, strategic military interests, and shifting global power dynamics.

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