Chagos deal paused over Trump opposition, minister confirms

Chagos Deal Temporarily Halted Due to Trump’s Withdrawal, Foreign Minister Confirms

The UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been indefinitely suspended, according to Stephen Doughty, the foreign minister. This decision stems from US President Donald Trump’s reversal of support for the treaty, which would have required the UK to cede the territory to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base for £101 million annually. Trump had previously endorsed the agreement but later urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to abandon it, calling it an “act of total weakness” in January.

In response to a Conservative Urgent Question, Doughty revealed that legislation related to the deal would not advance during this parliamentary session. The announcement follows a BBC report detailing Starmer’s decision to delay the process. Speaking in the House of Commons, Doughty emphasized Trump’s shifting stance, stating it has made updating the 1966 UK-US agreement “impossible to agree at political level.” The treaty, negotiated in close collaboration with the US under both current and previous administrations, was once described by Trump as “very strong and powerful.”

“In recent weeks, the position of the United States president appears to have changed,” Doughty said. “And this means that, in practical terms, it has become impossible to agree at political level an update to the 1966 UK-US agreement concerning the Availability for Defence Purposes of the British Indian Ocean Territory.”

The minister noted that no payments will be made during the delay, as the treaty remains unratified. He confirmed this to former Conservative minister Dame Harriett Baldwin. Meanwhile, Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel pressed Doughty to clarify if the government would pursue new legislation without Trump’s backing. She questioned: “Will he rule out any new legislation coming forward next session, even if it isn’t in the King’s Speech, so that the surrender treaty cannot become operable?” Doughty replied that the Conservatives initiated the process but left the future of a fresh Bill uncertain.

UK officials have yet to finalize the Chagos Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill, which requires approval from both the Commons and Lords. Despite the delay, five other Bills from this session have been carried over to continue debate after May 13. The prime minister’s spokesperson added that discussions with the US and Mauritius will determine the next steps. Under the 2023 agreement, the UK would hand over sovereignty to Mauritius but retain the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, with a total estimated cost of £3.4 billion. Critics argue the true cost could rise to £35 billion when adjusted for inflation and warn of potential Chinese influence on the islands.