In a surprising move, former US President Donald Trump has criticised the UK government’s decision to hand over control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Speaking to reporters, Trump described the plan championed by Labour leader Keir Starmer as a “weakness” and an act of “stupidity”.
The Chagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the Indian Ocean, have been a point of contention between the UK and Mauritius for decades. The UK has maintained control of the islands since the 1960s, but Mauritius has long claimed sovereignty over the territory, which it says was illegally separated from the country prior to its independence.
Under the plan proposed by Starmer, the UK would cede control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, fulfilling a long-standing demand from the African nation. However, Trump has now waded into the debate, accusing the UK government of making a poor strategic decision.
“I think it’s a terrible thing that they’re doing,” Trump said. “It’s weakness, it’s stupidity. The Chagos Islands are a very important strategic location, and the UK is just giving them away. It’s a terrible thing.”
The former president’s comments come as the UK government faces increasing pressure to resolve the Chagos Islands dispute. Earlier this year, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK’s continued administration of the islands was unlawful, and called for their decolonisation.
Responding to Trump’s criticism, a spokesperson for the UK government said that the decision to hand over control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius was based on a careful consideration of the legal and diplomatic implications.
“We are committed to finding a solution that is fair and respects the interests of all parties involved,” the spokesperson said. “The Chagos Islands are an important strategic location, but we believe that a negotiated settlement with Mauritius is the best way forward.”
The Chagos Islands dispute has been a longstanding issue in UK-Mauritius relations, with the latter country arguing that the archipelago was illegally separated from its territory prior to independence. The UK has maintained that the islands were acquired through a legitimate process, but has faced growing international pressure to resolve the dispute.
As the UK government continues to navigate this complex diplomatic challenge, the intervention of the former US president is likely to add further complexity to the situation. With both strategic and legal considerations at play, the future of the Chagos Islands remains uncertain.
