UK: Foreign Secretary Says Trump Can Veto Chagos Islands Deal

Published FEB 27 2025

Story

Above: David Lammy, UK foreign secretary, at a news conference in London, UK, on Jan. 9, 2025. Image credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images

The Facts

The UK's deal with Mauritius over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands will not go forward if US Pres. Donald Trump opposes it, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy told ITV News on Wednesday.
ITV News
In October last year, the UK government announced it would hand over sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in a deal that would retain the UK's control over the island of Diego Garcia — home to a UK-US military base — for an initial period of 99 years.
Guardian
GOV.UK
Daily Mail
According to a Mauritian source with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to the BBC, after the treaty was approved by former Pres. Joe Biden, preparations were underway to sign it before Trump's inauguration. But "overnight the British position changed," the source said.
BBC News
The Telegraph
At the time, a spokesman for Sir Keir Starmer's government said it was "perfectly reasonable for the US administration to consider the detail" of any agreement. Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has also previously stated it was "better to let [Trump] have a look."
BBC News
Mauritiusassembly
During a Wednesday appearance on ITV, Lammy said: "If Pres. Trump doesn't like the deal, the deal will not go forward." He said this was because the UK has "a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States." "[T]hey've got to be happy with the deal," Lammy added.
ITV News
The remarks came ahead of Starmer's visit to Washington. At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Starmer was challenged over whether his recent defense spending increase would be used to finance the Chagos deal, responding that it was for "capability on defense and security in Europe."
BBC News
parliament.uk

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Given the UK's security and intelligence relationship with the US, it would be very strange if the UK's Labour government acted without the advice of America on this deal. Of course, the UK is going to discuss very closely with the US and make sure the deal's in their best interests.

Independent

Establishment-critical narrative

The government has realized they've made a massive blunder in agreeing to give away a strategically important set of islands for nothing except the privilege of renting one of the islands for billions of pounds a year. Now they're shamelessly hoping that Trump can bail them out of this sticky situation.

GB News