The United States continues to reinforce its forces in preparation for a possible confrontation with Iran, but the future of the so-called "bombers island," to which a third of the US B-2 bomber fleet was deployed last year, remains uncertain. While Washington and NATO appear to be moving toward understandings over Greenland, a dispute between US President Donald Trump and Britain remains unresolved over London’s plan to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, including the US Air Force base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius.
Trump’s renewed opposition to the Chagos plan has reignited a political storm in Britain, despite the fact that just last year he praised the agreement reached between Britain and Mauritius, calling it a "monumental achievement." The debate raises fundamental questions: Why are these islands so important, why does the US operate a major base there, and why is Britain willing to relinquish control?
What are the Chagos Islands and why does the base matter?
Diego Garcia is a tiny island, just 30 square kilometers in size, but it is the largest of the 60 islands that make up the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean. Since the 1970s, it has hosted a strategic air base leased by the United States from Britain. Under the current agreement, the lease is set to continue at least until 2036.
Around 2,500 personnel live on the base, most of them American and a minority British. The base plays a central strategic role in US operations in the region. It supported US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and past reports said the CIA also operated "black sites" there, secret facilities outside US territory where terrorism suspects were held and tortured.
A B-2 stealth bomber drops a GBU-57 MOP bunker-busting bomb in a test
In April last year, Trump sent a third of the US B-2 bomber fleet to the island. The stealth bombers are capable of carrying massive bunker-busting munitions, in a clear show of force aimed at Iran. Ultimately, the US struck Iranian nuclear sites before the end of the "Operation With a Lion" war, but used bombers that flew directly from the United States.
What does Mauritius want?
Mauritius, also a former British colony, has for years demanded sovereignty over the islands, which Britain separated from it in 1965. About 2,000 original residents of the islands, descendants of African slaves brought there by the French in the late 18th century to work in coconut plantations, were expelled by Britain to allow the US to establish the Diego Garcia base.
Britain purchased the islands from Mauritius for a token sum of 3 million pounds, but Mauritius argues it was effectively forced to give up sovereignty in exchange for independence in 1968. Many of the displaced residents and their children now live in Mauritius and have long campaigned for the right to return.
In 2019, Britain suffered a major blow when the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the separation of the islands from Mauritius was unlawful. That same year, 116 countries voted in favor of a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution calling on Britain to withdraw its "colonial administration" from the Chagos Islands within six months. Only six countries, including Britain, the United States and Israel, voted against. Israel explained its vote at the time by saying the issue should be resolved bilaterally between Britain and Mauritius.
What does the lease agreement include?
Under the terms of the treaty approved and signed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart in May last year, Britain would transfer sovereignty over all of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. In return, Britain would pay Mauritius 136 million dollars a year for a 99-year lease of the military base on Diego Garcia, allowing Britain and the United States to continue operating there.
Will Britain and the US still have access to the islands?
Yes, but only to Diego Garcia. CNN reported that after the agreement was announced, the US State Department said Washington "welcomes" the deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that after a comprehensive review, the Trump administration concluded the agreement ensures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the Diego Garcia base. He added that during a meeting with Starmer, Trump expressed support for what he called a "monumental achievement."
Since then, possibly in the context of the dispute over Greenland, Trump has changed his position.
Can the agreement be blocked?
Although the treaty passed rigorous scrutiny in both houses of the British Parliament and is approaching final approval, Trump’s sudden opposition has emboldened politicians on the British right to renew their criticism. Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform UK party, said the Americans had "woken up and realized they were lied to." He claimed they were told Britain had no choice but to surrender the islands, which he said was untrue.
Conservative Party opposition leader Kemi Badenoch was even more blunt than Trump, calling the deal "not just foolishness, but an act of total self-sabotage." Her party colleague Priti Patel described the agreement last year as "madness," comparing it to "handing your house to someone else and then paying to rent it back."
It remains unclear whether Trump’s objections or opposition anger will derail the agreement, given Labour’s large majority in Parliament.
What do the Chagossians want?
Negotiations between the British and Mauritian governments were conducted without the involvement of the Chagossians themselves. CNN reported that the global Chagossian population is estimated at around 10,000, many of whom live in Britain, Mauritius and the Seychelles. A survey found that most favor remaining under British rule and oppose transferring sovereignty to Mauritius.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Mauritius said it had "taken note" of Trump’s remarks and stressed that its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is "clearly established under international law and should no longer be subject to debate."
What is the connection to Greenland?
In many ways, Trump’s opposition to Starmer’s agreement reflects a deeper clash of worldviews. While Starmer argues Britain has a legal obligation to hand over the Chagos Islands, Trump has made clear he does not recognize such constraints.
Asked last week by The New York Times what could restrain his power on the global stage, Trump replied: "There is one thing. My personal morality. My thinking. That’s the only thing that can stop me." He added: "I don’t need an international court."
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