LONDON — The United Kingdom has indefinitely suspended its plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw American backing for the arrangement.
British officials confirmed Saturday that parliamentary time has expired for legislation needed to approve the transfer of the Indian Ocean territory, which houses a vital joint U.S.-UK military installation.
The development marks another sign of deteriorating relations between Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration and the Trump White House.
While Trump originally supported the transfer agreement, he reversed course in January, denouncing the sovereignty handover plan as “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY” on social media. The islands contain the joint military facility at Diego Garcia.
Following Trump’s opposition, the UK halted legislative progress on the measure. Government officials now admit insufficient time remains for passage before Parliament’s current session concludes in coming weeks. The proposal is not anticipated to appear in King Charles III’s upcoming legislative agenda when the new parliamentary session starts May 13.
Though frustrated by America’s policy reversal, British authorities remain hopeful the arrangement can be salvaged.
“Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the U.K. and the U.S.,” the British government said in a statement. “Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority — it is the entire reason for the deal.
“We continue to believe the agreement is the best way to protect the long-term future of the base, but we have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has U.S. support. We are continuing to engage with the U.S. and Mauritius.”
Simon McDonald, Britain’s former Foreign Office chief until 2020, said officials “had no other choice” but to suspend the agreement.
“When the president of the United States is openly hostile, the government has to rethink. So this agreement, this treaty will go into the deep freeze for the time being,” he told the BBC.
The isolated archipelago of more than 60 islands, located off India’s southern tip below the Maldives, has remained under British administration since 1814.
The Diego Garcia military installation has facilitated American military campaigns spanning from Vietnam through Iraq and Afghanistan, and currently serves as a staging area for U.S. bombers in operations against Iran.
Starmer initially prevented American aircraft from utilizing British airfields for Iranian strikes. He subsequently permitted U.S. forces to operate from English bases and Diego Garcia for attacks on Iran’s missile facilities, while restricting other targets.
Trump has criticized NATO partners for hesitancy in joining the conflict. He recently dismissed Starmer as “not Winston Churchill” and ridiculed Britain’s Royal Navy.
The negotiated arrangement between Britain and Mauritius, developed over years of discussions, would allow the UK to lease the Diego Garcia facility for a minimum of 99 years.
Starmer’s administration argues the deal shields the base from international legal challenges. Recent years have seen the United Nations and its highest court pressure Britain to return the territory to Mauritius.
Britain’s Conservative opposition and Reform UK have fought the agreement, contending that relinquishing the islands creates vulnerability to Chinese and Russian influence. These parties have lobbied the Trump administration to abandon its support.
Former residents forced from Diego Garcia during the 1960s and 1970s for base construction say they received no consultation and fear the deal will complicate their return prospects.
Approximately 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their families currently reside mainly in Britain, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Many have pursued unsuccessful legal battles in UK courts for decades seeking repatriation rights.
