Overview
- Trump said the agreement was “the best” Starmer could make and warned he would militarily secure and reinforce the US presence on Diego Garcia if the lease collapses or operations are threatened.
- Downing Street said the leaders agreed to keep working closely to guarantee the base’s future operation and to coordinate on implementing the agreement.
- The deal transfers sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for about 99 years, with UK payments widely reported at roughly £35 billion over the next century.
- Legislation to ratify the agreement has been delayed in Parliament after January’s row, with Conservative figures and Nigel Farage attacking the cost, legality and security implications.
- Officials stress Diego Garcia’s strategic role—with around 4,000 personnel and recent operations linked to Yemen strikes and Gaza aid—and argue the deal averts legal risks that could disrupt base operations.