The move to transfer ownership of such ‘a very important piece of real estate’ is ‘ridiculous’, said the US president.
Donald Trump has said the UK agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is a “terrible deal” and that Andy Burnham is “going to be looking at it”.
Speaking at his first meeting with the UK Prime Minister on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the US president said the move to transfer ownership of the British Indian Ocean Territory was “ridiculous”, describing it as “a very important piece of real estate, militarily and strategically”.
The Government’s plans to cede sovereignty of the remote archipelago and then pay billions of pounds to lease back the joint UK-US military base on the largest island of Diego Garcia has been on hold since April in the face of opposition from the White House.
Tensions over the agreement were heightened when Britain refused the US use of the outpost for initial military strikes against Iran in February.
En route to New York, Mr Burnham said he had told his Mauritian counterpart in a phone call he would work towards finding a resolution over the Chagos Islands, but admitted the Government did not have one “at the moment”.
The Government under Sir Keir Starmer had argued the deal was 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.
Asked about the agreement as he sat next to Mr Burnham after talks, Mr Trump said: “I don’t support it. I think it’s terrible. It was a terrible deal.
“They all of a sudden say they have ownership. Somebody has ownership that never showed up before after decades and centuries. I think it’s ridiculous.”
He added: “It’s strategically very important. Very important. You know, we had to send our B-2 bombers when we bombed the Iran nuclear (sites), we had to send the B-2 bombers back home to Missouri.
“As opposed to flying for a short period of time, they had to fly for a long period of time.
“It’s amazing how strategic it is, and I think the Prime Minister is going to be looking at it.”
Mr Burnham agreed he would be.
The US leader added: “It’s a very, very strategic location. Amazing.
“It’s unique. It’s a very important piece of real estate, militarily and strategically.”
Writing on X, a short time later Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “The Chagos deal is dead. Thank God.”
