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London — President Trump has known as the U.Okay.’s resolution handy over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius — a deal his administration beforehand supported — an act of “nice stupidity” that additional justified his need for the U.S. to purchase Greenland. One of many islands, Diego Garcia, is the location of a key U.Okay.-U.S. navy base within the Indian Ocean.
“Shockingly, our ‘good’ NATO Ally, the UK, is at the moment planning to present away the Island of Diego Garcia, the location of an important U.S. Navy Base, to Mauritius, and to take action FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” Mr. Trump stated early Tuesday on his personal Fact Social platform. “There isn’t a doubt that China and Russia have seen this act of complete weak spot. These are Worldwide Powers who solely acknowledge STRENGTH, which is why the US of America, below my management, is now, after just one yr, revered like by no means earlier than. The UK gifting away extraordinarily vital land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is one other in a really lengthy line of Nationwide Safety the reason why Greenland must be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies should DO THE RIGHT THING. Thanks to your consideration to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Mr. Trump issued his assertion as Speaker of the U.S. Home of Representatives Mike Johnson, a Republican, was within the U.Okay. to handle the British parliament, the place he advised lawmakers the U.S. and U.Okay. had “all the time been capable of work by means of our variations calmly as buddies. We are going to proceed to do this. I wish to guarantee you this morning that that’s nonetheless the case.”
The Chagos Islands had been separated from Mauritius, which was then a British colony, in 1965.
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The U.Okay. bought the islands for the equal of round $4 million, CBS Information companion BBC Information reported, however Mauritius had lengthy argued that it was compelled to present the islands away with a purpose to obtain its independence in 1968. The U.Okay. invited the U.S. to construct a navy base on the island of Diego Garcia, and it has turn out to be a cornerstone of American protection infrastructure within the huge Indian Ocean area.
In 2019, the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice issued a non-binding ruling that known as on the U.Okay. to surrender management of the Chagos Islands, saying it had wrongfully compelled out the folks dwelling on Diego Garcia to make approach for the navy base.
That ruling, partially, prompted the deal reached in 2024 for the U.Okay. handy over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. As a part of the settlement, Britain bought to take care of management of the navy base on Diego Garcia by means of a 99-year lease, at a value to the U.Okay. of about $136 million per yr.
The Trump administration beforehand supported the Chagos Islands deal, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio issuing a press release in Might final yr saying, “following a complete interagency assessment, the Trump Administration decided that this settlement secures the long-term, steady, and efficient operation of the joint U.S.-UK navy facility at Diego Garcia.”
Rubio stated on the time that Mr. Trump had “expressed his help for this monumental achievement throughout his assembly with Prime Minister Starmer on the White Home,” calling the bottom “a important asset for regional and world safety.”
In a press release despatched to CBS Information on Tuesday, a U.Okay. authorities spokesperson stated Britain “won’t ever compromise on our nationwide safety,” noting that the settlement with Mauritius was struck “as a result of the bottom on Diego Garcia was below risk after court docket choices undermined our place and would have prevented it working as supposed in future.”
“This deal secures the operations of the joint U.S.-U.Okay. base on Diego Garcia for generations, with strong provisions for holding its distinctive capabilities intact and our adversaries out,” the British authorities stated, noting that it had beforehand been “publicly welcomed by the U.S., Australia and all different 5 Eyes allies, in addition to key worldwide companions together with India, Japan and South Korea.”
The 5 Eyes refers back to the shut protection and intelligence partnership between the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
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