Chagos deal paused over Trump opposition, minister confirms
UK Foreign Minister Stephen Doughty has stated that the Chagos Islands agreement has been indefinitely delayed due to the U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing his backing. The deal would transfer the territory’s sovereignty to Mauritius and require annual payments of £101m ($136m) to lease back the Diego Garcia military base. Trump initially supported the treaty but later urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to abandon it, labeling the move as “an act of total weakness” in January.
Legislative progress stalled
Doughty’s announcement, made during a House of Commons session in response to a Conservative Urgent Question, followed the BBC’s report that Starmer had postponed the deal. The minister criticized Trump’s shifting stance, expressing frustration as he confirmed the legislation would not advance in this parliamentary term. Earlier on Monday, the prime minister’s spokesperson avoided confirming plans to reintroduce the bill in the next session, which begins on 13 May.
“In recent weeks, the position of the United States president appears to have changed. And this means that, in practical terms, it has become impossible to agree at political level an update to the 1966 UK-US agreement concerning the Availability for Defence Purposes of the British Indian Ocean Territory,” Doughty explained.
Despite the treaty having been negotiated with close U.S. coordination under both current and previous administrations, Doughty noted that Trump’s support had been crucial for progress. The minister highlighted that the delay was regrettable but necessary, as the treaty remains unratified and payments cannot proceed without legislative approval.
Financial and strategic concerns
The UK and Mauritius signed an agreement last year to end London’s control over the islands, with the lease of Diego Garcia spanning 99 years and totaling £3.4 billion. However, critics argue the actual cost could reach £35 billion when adjusted for inflation, and warn of risks such as allowing China to establish a strategic presence in the region. The prime minister’s team indicated discussions with the U.S. and Mauritius will determine the next phase of the deal.
“Will he rule out any new legislation coming forward next session, even if it isn’t in the King’s Speech, so that the surrender treaty cannot become operable?” asked Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel, pressing Doughty for clarity.
Parliament has already extended five other bills to the next session, but the Chagos Bill is not included. The prime minister’s spokesman reiterated that legislative details will be announced as usual, without prior speculation. With the agreement still pending, no financial commitments have been made during the current pause in negotiations.
