United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, describing the move as an act of “great stupidity” that undermines national security.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Britain’s agreement to relinquish control of the Indian Ocean archipelago weakened Western security interests and reinforced his long-standing argument for the United States to acquire Greenland.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The comments represent a notable shift in Trump’s position, as he had previously expressed support for the Chagos deal.
Under the agreement, Britain will transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, its former colony, while paying to lease the strategically important US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago.
Britain retained control of the islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s, but forcibly removed thousands of Chagossians to make way for the military base. Displaced islanders have since pursued multiple legal actions in British courts seeking compensation and the right of return.
In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that Britain’s continued administration of the Chagos Islands was unlawful and advised that the territory should be returned to Mauritius, intensifying international pressure on London to resolve the long-running dispute.
Trump’s remarks come amid renewed tensions between Washington and several European allies, as the US president increasingly links territorial control and security concerns to broader geopolitical rivalries involving China and Russia.