Trump Warns UK Against Ceding Diego Garcia, Says Base May Be Needed if Iran Talks Collapse

Washington, February 19, 2026: US President Donald Trump has cautioned UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer against proceeding with the planned return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, highlighting the critical importance of retaining the Diego Garcia military base. Calling the arrangement a “big mistake,” Trump stressed the base’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean and its potential role should nuclear negotiations with Iran fail.

Trump’s warning follows a 2025 agreement under which the UK would restore sovereignty over the Chagos Islands while keeping Diego Garcia under a long-term lease. Speaking on Truth Social, he questioned the validity of claims over the island and warned that the lease could compromise US-UK strategic interests.

“Should Iran decide not to make a deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia… to counter a potential attack from a highly unstable regime,” Trump wrote, concluding with a direct appeal: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA.”

The base has historically served as a pivotal site for US and UK military operations in the region. Mauritius gained independence from Britain in 1968, but Diego Garcia remained under UK control. The International Court of Justice in 2019 ruled that London should end its administration of the islands, increasing pressure on the UK to negotiate sovereignty.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that diplomacy remains the primary approach in ongoing nuclear talks with Tehran, noting that while progress has been made in Geneva discussions, the two sides remain far apart on key issues.

With the JCPOA framework still unresolved and past agreements collapsed in 2018, Diego Garcia has resurfaced as a strategic flashpoint in US-UK-Iran relations, underscoring its significance in global security calculations.