Read our Privacy noticeLegislation intended to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has reportedly been put on hold, following direct criticism from Donald Trump. The proposed £35 billion agreement, which includes a plan to lease back the crucial UK-US military base on Diego Garcia – the largest island in the remote Indian Ocean archipelago – is now facing significant hurdles. This stance was echoed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who declared the deal should find its "rightful place – on the ash heap of history." The US administration had initially hailed the deal as a “monumental achievement” but Mr Trump subsequently lambasted it as an act of “total weakness”. The Government has argued the deal is necessary to guarantee the future of the Diego Garcia base after an advisory International Court of Justice ruling in 2019 backed Mauritian claims to sovereignty over the islands.

Source: The Times April 11, 2026 13:37 UTC