‘Work more with US allies’: UK to review Chagos Islands deal after Trump's ‘terrible deal’ remark to PM Andy Burnham

The UK will review its agreement with Mauritius to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, defence secretary Wes Streeting said on Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump again criticised the deal and said he did not support it.

This image released by the U.S. Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Island group. (U.S. Navy via AP, File) (AP)Streeting said the review was necessary because the United States does not back the agreement in its current form. Speaking to BBC, he said Trump’s latest comments had made clear that the US president’s position had not changed and that Britain would need to work with Washington to find an arrangement it could support.

The announcement came a day after Trump criticised the agreement during his first face-to-face meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump called the agreement a “terrible deal” and said he did not support it. Burnham indicated that Britain would look at the issue again and said the government would work to find a resolution involving the different sides.

Streeting said Trump’s latest remarks provided “absolute clarity” that his position on the agreement had not changed.

“So we have to do more work with our American allies, with President Trump and his administration, to get the deal to a place where he can support it,” he told the BBC.

Streeting told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that no money would be handed over to Mauritius “at this stage” while officials review the agreement.

Under the agreement negotiated by former prime minister Keir Starmer’s government, Britain would transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining access to the Diego Garcia military base through a long-term lease.

The proposed arrangement provides for a 99-year lease of the base. The UK government had estimated the overall cost of the agreement at about £3.4 billion, while the original terms involved annual payments to Mauritius for the lease.

Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago, hosts a strategically important joint UK-US military base. Streeting described it as one of Britain’s most sensitive national security assets and said securing its long-term future would be a key focus of the review.

The agreement was signed in 2025 but had not completed the parliamentary process required for it to take effect. It was put on hold in April after Trump withdrew his support.

The UK has repeatedly argued that resolving the sovereignty dispute is necessary to provide long-term certainty for the military base on Diego Garcia.

The Chagos Islands have been under British control since the period before Mauritius gained independence in 1968. Britain retained the archipelago and established the military facility on Diego Garcia, while thousands of Chagossians were removed from the islands.

Mauritius has long argued that the islands were wrongfully separated from its territory.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating that Britain’s administration of the Chagos Archipelago should end and that the UK should facilitate the completion of Mauritius’s decolonisation.

The proposed agreement was intended to resolve the sovereignty dispute while ensuring continued use of Diego Garcia for military purposes.

Burnham has said Britain will work with the different sides to find a resolution, while Streeting said the UK would continue discussions with the US administration.

The UK government now faces the task of revisiting the agreement while seeking US backing and maintaining its commitment to Mauritius.

Streeting said the government was working towards an arrangement that would provide long-term certainty for Diego Garcia and one that, while it may not satisfy everyone, would be acceptable to all sides.

Krithika Iyer is a Senior Content Producer with the Explainer Desk at Hindustan Times, bringing a deep passion for rigorous, accessible journalism to every story. With a strong drive for breaking down complex topics, Krithika focuses on clear narratives that answer the critical questions of why stories matter and what happens next. Before joining Hindustan Times, she worked with the Reuters Dotcom team, navigating fast-paced global news environments with precision and speed, mainly covering US legal news. Krithika holds a Master's degree from the University of Westminster, combining rigorous academic grounding with international newsroom experience. Deeply curious and endlessly adaptable, Krithika loves exploring new beats and learning continuously, believing that growth comes from trying one's hand at everything. Outside the newsroom, she is an avid reader who also enjoys experimenting with cooking and expressing creativity through art as a way to unwind. Bringing curiosity, sharp editorial insight, and a commitment to clarity, Krithika continues to shape compelling digital narratives that resonate with audiences across platforms.Read More