In a BBC interview on 23 September, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that London will revisit the deal it struck with Mauritius to hand back the Chagos archipelago – home to the strategic US‑British base on Diego Garcia – citing the “absolute clarity” of President Trump’s opposition.
The original arrangement, announced in April, would have seen Britain relinquish the islands to Mauritius while securing a 99‑year lease of Diego Garcia, the naval and air base that underpins US‑UK security in the Indian Ocean, for an estimated £90 million a year.
President Trump, who had initially welcomed the pact, later described it as “an act of great stupidity”. He reiterated his disapproval during a meeting with Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 22 September, calling the agreement “terrible”. Burnham nodded and replied “yep”, according to reports.
Burnham later told broadcasters that Britain would “work hard” to find a resolution on the “thorny issue” and expressed confidence in reaching a solution together with US partners.
Streeting echoed that sentiment, saying the United Kingdom must do “more work with our American allies, with President Trump and his administration, to get the deal to a place where we can support it”. He warned against an “ostrich strategy” of ignoring the issue, given the base’s sensitivity for national security.
The Chagos dispute dates back to the 1960s when Britain retained control after Mauritius gained independence, subsequently evicting the island’s inhabitants. In 2019 the International Court of Justice advised that the archipelago should be returned to Mauritius, a view that has shaped recent British negotiations.
The renegotiation signals a shift in Britain’s approach, aiming to balance legal obligations, the strategic importance of Diego Garcia, and the United States’ strong objections, while seeking a settlement that preserves the base’s operational status.