After trade truce with India, Trump backs off over UK-Mauritius Diego Garcia island deal | World News

US President Donald Trump has backed away from his intervention in the Diego Garcia island agreement, in a move that brought relief not only to the UK and Mauritius but also to the Indian Ocean region. Posting on Truth Social, President Trump stated that he had a very productive meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said that the USA has the right to intervene in case the lease agreement is broken. Trump’s U-turn comes just days after the US reached a trade deal with India after more than six months of hostilities.

“I had very productive discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer about Diego Garcia Island. It is strategically located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, where a large US Military Base is located, and therefore it is of great importance to the National Security of the United States,” Trump said.

Trump said Prime Minister Starmer’s deal was the best deal he could have made. “However, if at some time in the future the lease breaks down or if anyone threatens or endangers US operations and forces at our Base, I reserve the right to militarily secure and strengthen the American presence at Diego Garcia. Let it be known that I will never allow our presence at such an important Base to be undermined or threatened by false claims or environmental nonsense,” Trump said.

Praising his army, Trump said that the USA has the strongest army in the world. “Our Military Operations over the past year have been successful due to the strength of our warriors, the modern capacity of our equipment and most importantly the strategic location of our Military Bases and other reasons,” he said.

Trump had previously warned Britain not to proceed with the deal. Located in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia is home to a major joint US-UK military facility that has played a central role in American operations in the Middle East, Africa and the Indo-Pacific region for decades. The base is widely considered one of Washington’s most strategically important overseas military assets.

The island is part of the Chagos Archipelago, which Britain separated from Mauritius before granting it independence in the late 1960s. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion finding it unlawful for the United Kingdom to continue administering the territory and calling for its return to Mauritius.

The agreement also provides relief for India as New Delhi, along with Mauritius, has been investing a lot while also playing an important role in the development of the island.