Washington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its agreement to transfer the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, branding the move an act of “great stupidity” with serious national security implications.

In a post on his Truth social platform, Trump said the decision to hand over the strategically important territory was deeply misguided. “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,” he wrote.
 

Trump’s remarks signal a notable shift from his earlier stance, as he had previously expressed support for the deal.

Under the agreement, Britain is set to return the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius, its former colony, while continuing to lease the Diego Garcia military base — a key US–UK strategic installation — located on the largest island in the chain.

The United Kingdom retained control of the Chagos Islands even after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s, forcibly relocating thousands of islanders. Those displaced residents have since pursued multiple legal challenges in British courts seeking compensation and the right to return.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice advised Britain to end its administration of the archipelago and hand it over to Mauritius, following decades of legal and diplomatic disputes.
AFP