politics
UK shelves Chagos deal after Trump criticism and missing US approval
The Keir Starmer government has put on hold a May 2025 deal to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia base after the required formal US confirmation was not completed and Parliament faces dissolution.
Apr 11th 2026 · United Kingdom
Insights
- UK has paused the May 2025 agreement to transfer Chagos sovereignty to Mauritius pending formal US sign-off.
- The plan would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base to protect its operational use.
- Former US president Donald Trump publicly criticised the deal and a formal exchange of letters from the US has not been completed.
- The government says it will only proceed if the United States supports the arrangement, citing Diego Garcia security as the central reason.
- No Chagos-related legislation will be tabled before Parliament is dissolved and the issue will not appear in the upcoming King’s Speech.
Sources
- Chagos Islands deal pulled by government after Trump brands it 'act of great stupidity' news.sky.com
- UK drops bill to hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius after US opposition www.ft.com
- UK shelves Chagos deal after Trump opposition www.bbc.com
- 'Will only proceed with US support': UK pulls out of Chagos deal after Trump's criticism timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- UK pauses its plan to cede Chagos Islands after US opposition www.straitstimes.com
- UK forced to shelve legislation to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius www.theguardian.com
- UK pauses its plan to cede Chagos Islands after US opposition www.straitstimes.com
- UK government ‘pauses’ Chagos deal amid Trump criticism www.independent.co.uk
- Trump critique pauses UK handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius www.scmp.com
- UK to shelve Chagos handover after Trump criticism www.lemonde.fr
- UK suspends Chagos Islands sovereignty deal following Trump’s objections www.jpost.com
- Reino Unido decide pausar el acuerdo para otorgar la soberanía de islas Chagos a Mauricio tras la oposición de Donald Trump www.elmundo.es
- U.K. pauses its plan to cede Chagos Islands after U.S. opposition www.thehindu.com
- UK pauses Chagos Islands handover after Trump criticism www.dailysabah.com
- UK to hold off on deal ceding Chagos Islands amid US opposition www.aljazeera.com
- Why UK has put its Chagos Islands deal on hold www.independent.co.uk
- Reino Unido suspende plano de transferir soberania das Ilhas Chagos após oposição dos Estados Unidos g1.globo.com
- Secret discussions on resettling Chagos Islands after Starmer pauses Mauritius deal www.independent.co.uk
- U.K. Puts Chagos Islands Deal on Hold Following Criticism From Trump www.nytimes.com
- El Reino Unido congela el acuerdo para devolver el archipiélago de Chagos por la presión de Trump www.abc.es
- U.K. puts Chagos Islands handover deal on hold after U.S. withdraws support www.theglobeandmail.com
- UK puts Chagos handover deal in 'deep freeze' after Trump criticism www.channelnewsasia.com
- UK pauses Chagos Islands transfer plan after opposition from Donald Trump www.thehindu.com
- UK puts Diego Garcia handover on hold to appease Trump www.politico.eu
- UK freezes deal to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius www.dw.com