Trump approves 'an act of great stupidity' Chagos deal

Donald Trump has dramatically U-turned on his opposition to Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial Chagos Islands deal, signalling his support just weeks after he described it as an act of “great stupidity”.

- KATE DEVLIN WHITEHALL EDITOR

His comments triggered a political firestorm that led to the prime minister accusing the US president of using the agreement to try to pressure him over Greenland.

In new comments on his Truth Social platform, however, he described the agreement as "the best" the Labour leader could strike.

The furious row erupted over Sir Keir’s plans to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in a deal the government says is necessary to secure the future of the crucial UK-US Diego Garcia military base.

Ministers secured US backing for the deal last year. And in February last year, the president told Sir Keir during a visit to the White House that he was “inclined to go with your country” and that he had “a feeling it’s going to work out very well”.

But in a move that sent shockwaves through Downing Street last month, the US president denounced it as “an act of great stupidity”.

In return, Sir Keir accused him of trying to pressure the UK into supporting America’s plans to take over Greenland.

Now using a post on his Truth Social platform, the president wrote that he had had "very productive discussions" with Sir Keir about the deal.

Under the plan, which will cost £35bn over the next century, the UK will cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius but lease back the facility on the island of Diego Garcia.