President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a U.S. purchase of the Chagos Islands as part of an effort to secure long-term American control of the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base, according to a report published Sunday by the Telegraph, the latest twist in a years-long dispute involving Britain, Mauritius, and one of Washington’s most important overseas installations.
Citing U.S. officials familiar with the discussions, the Telegraph reported that Trump administration officials have explored whether the United States could acquire the archipelago as an alternative to a plan by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius.
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The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House for comment.
The report comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding a 2025 agreement negotiated by Starmer that would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while allowing Britain and the United States to continue operating the joint military base on Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease arrangement.
The deal was hailed by Britain as a way to resolve a long-running territorial dispute that intensified after international courts and United Nations bodies questioned London’s claim to the islands. Mauritius has long argued that the archipelago was illegally separated from the country before independence.
Trump initially appeared open to the arrangement before dramatically reversing course earlier this year. In a series of public statements, he called the transfer an act of “great stupidity” and urged Starmer not to “give away Diego Garcia.” He later warned that the United States retained the right to take steps to secure the base if future agreements threatened American operations there.
The administration’s opposition ultimately led to the derailment of the agreement. Last month, Britain announced the legislation needed to ratify the sovereignty transfer had been shelved indefinitely after Trump withdrew support for the deal.
The Telegraph reported that Trump officials were also wary of a sovereignty transfer to Mauritius because of its close ties to Iran and China.
The debate has elevated the profile of Diego Garcia, a remote atoll that hosts one of the Pentagon’s most important overseas military facilities.
The base has served as a hub for U.S. bomber operations, naval developments, and intelligence missions for decades. Most recently, it played a central role in operations during the conflict with Iran, with long-range aircraft and logistical assets operating from the island as the United States projected power across the Middle East.
