Trump Vows to Protect US Access to Diego Garcia Military Base

President Trump has warned the U.S. may use military force to secure the Diego Garcia air base if any future arrangement threatens American access to the strategic installation in the Indian Ocean.

In a Thursday statement on Truth Social, Trump signaled his willingness to move past tensions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer following what he described as “very productive discussions” about the base’s future. The statement marks a tonal shift from January, when Trump had harshly criticized a UK-Mauritius deal regarding the Chagos Islands as an “act of great stupidity” and “total weakness.”

“It is the site of a major U.S. military base, strategically situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and, therefore, of great importance to the national security of the United States,” Trump wrote, underscoring Diego Garcia’s critical role in American defense infrastructure.

The former president acknowledged that the UK had secured “the best deal he could make” in the controversial agreement that transfers sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for at least 99 years. However, Trump issued a clear warning about America’s red lines regarding the base.

“If the lease deal, sometime in the future, ever falls apart, or anyone threatens or endangers U.S. operations and forces at our base, I retain the right to militarily secure and reinforce the American presence in Diego Garcia,” Trump declared, adding that he “will never allow our presence on a base as important as this to ever be undermined or threatened by fake claims or environmental nonsense.”

Diego Garcia serves as a crucial hub for U.S. military operations across multiple regions, hosting approximately 2,500 American military and civilian personnel. The base facilitates long-range bomber missions, logistics operations, intelligence collection, and military communications throughout the Middle East, Indo-Pacific, and Africa. It has been instrumental in supporting U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Yemen over the years.

According to reports from Reuters, Downing Street confirmed that Trump and Starmer discussed Diego Garcia during a recent call, with both leaders agreeing on safeguarding the base’s continued operation.

“The leaders recognized its strategic importance,” a spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s office stated. “The leaders agreed their governments would continue working closely to guarantee the future operation of the base and speak again soon.”

The UK-Mauritius agreement has significant financial implications for British taxpayers, who are projected to pay approximately £35 billion ($47 billion) over the next century, including annual payments of about £160 million ($216 million) to Mauritius. Britain has also committed to roughly £3 billion ($4 billion) in compensation over the life of the deal, with an option to extend the lease for an additional 50 years.

The arrangement has drawn sharp criticism from Britain’s Conservative Party, which argues that it undermines the UK’s strategic position and risks weakening long-standing security ties with the United States. Meanwhile, Mauritius has maintained that its sovereignty over the islands is “unequivocally recognized” under international law and has called for swift implementation of the agreement.

In January, amid the initial controversy, a Downing Street spokesperson indicated that the UK was continuing efforts to “allay any concerns” in Washington, emphasizing the importance of the deal in securing both U.S. and UK interests.

The Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, have been a point of diplomatic contention for decades. The UK leased Diego Garcia to the United States in 1966, establishing what would become one of America’s most strategically significant overseas military installations. The base’s location provides the U.S. with a vital presence in a region of increasing geopolitical competition, particularly as China expands its influence across the Indo-Pacific.