UK pauses Chagos deal amid Trump opposition

April 11, 2026

Summary

Britain paused legislation to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after saying it would move ahead only with U.S. support.

Why this matters

The decision affects the future of Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-UK military base in the Indian Ocean. It also bears on a longstanding sovereignty dispute involving Mauritius and the displacement of Chagossians.

The United Kingdom has paused legislation to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, citing a lack of support from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support,” a UK government spokesperson said in a statement.

The move followed UK media reports that a bill setting out plans to cede sovereignty of the more than 60 Indian Ocean islands had been removed from the next parliamentary agenda.

In May 2024, the UK and Mauritius announced an agreement under which Mauritius would regain full sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, about 2,000 kilometers, or 1,200 miles, from Mauritius.

Under the plan, Britain would lease Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain, for 99 years to maintain U.S. operations at the military base there. Diego Garcia is a strategic site in the Indian Ocean between Asia and Africa.

Trump opposed the agreement in January, calling it an “act of great stupidity.”

“Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority – it is the entire reason for the deal,” the UK government spokesperson said. “We are continuing to engage with the US and Mauritius.”

The spokesperson added that the UK “continue[s] to believe the agreement is the best way to protect the long-term future of the base.”

After initially objecting, Trump said in February, after speaking with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, that Starmer had made the “best deal he could make.” Weeks later, Trump criticized the plan again on Truth Social, writing, “He is making a big mistake,” and saying ceding the islands would be “a blight on our Great Ally.”

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