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Donald Trump and Keir Starmer (File photo)
US President Donald Trump connected Wednesday said the UK should not “give away” the strategically captious Diego Garcia basal successful the Indian Ocean, a associated US-UK facility, arguing it could beryllium "crucial" if the United States launches subject enactment against Iran.
His remarks came arsenic helium reportedly weighs imaginable strikes connected Iran’s clerical leadership.The informing followed renewed backing from the US State Department for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement to transportation sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Under the projected arrangement, Britain would lease the base, which shares its sanction with the Diego Garcia island, the largest successful the archipelago, for 100 years.Posting connected his Truth Social, Trump urged Starmer not to proceed with what the Republican described arsenic a “tenuous” century-long lease, insisting the territory should stay nether British control. He argued that relinquishing it would "damage" Britain, a cardinal US ally, and stressed that it indispensable "stay strong” successful the look of "internal and outer pressures."
Trump’s station came arsenic his envoys held caller negotiations with Iran, pressing Tehran to marque important concessions, peculiarly regarding its atomic program.
He suggested that if talks fail, Washington mightiness request entree to some Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford — a US aerial basal successful England — to antagonistic what helium called imaginable threats from the Islamic Republic. He besides voiced interest astir imaginable attacks targeting the United Kingdom and different allied nations.Britain retained power of the Chagos Islands aft Mauritius gained independency successful the 1960s, forcibly removing thousands of residents who person since pursued compensation done ineligible challenges.
Trump dismissed those claims arsenic unfounded.On Tuesday, the State Department announced upcoming talks with Mauritius focused connected maintaining the subject basal and reiterated America's enactment for Britain’s determination to proceed with the agreement.When asked astir the evident contradiction betwixt Trump’s station and authoritative US policy, White House property caput Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s connection should beryllium regarded arsenic the administration’s position.The occurrence reflects different displacement successful Trump’s stance. After the woody was archetypal reached by Starmer’s Labour government, caput of authorities Marco Rubio called it “historic.” Trump aboriginal criticised it arsenic an “act of GREAT STUPIDITY,” linking it to his statement that the United States should instrumentality power of Greenland from Denmark. He subsequently said helium accepted the statement pursuing discussions with Starmer, a presumption helium present appears to person reversed.
