White House Considers Purchase of Chagos Islands

The White House is reportedly considering the purchase of the Chagos Islands, a move that could derail British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's plan to transfer sovereignty over the archipelago to Mauritius.

According to reports, US officials have developed several alternatives to the British proposal, including the possibility of placing the strategically important island of Diego Garcia under direct US control. The island hosts a major joint UK-US military base that plays a key role in American operations across the Indian Ocean and the Middle East.

The Trump administration is concerned that transferring sovereignty to Mauritius could increase the risk of Chinese influence and espionage. According to US officials, Mauritius maintains close ties with Beijing and also has diplomatic contacts with Iran.

The idea of purchasing the islands has reportedly been presented to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has briefed President Donald Trump on the proposal. No potential purchase price has been disclosed.

Under the British plan, sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago would be transferred to Mauritius, while the UK would lease the Diego Garcia base for 99 years at an estimated cost of £35bn ($47bn). However, the agreement cannot take effect without US approval.

Although Trump initially supported the proposal, The Telegraph reports that he later turned against it after London refused to allow the Diego Garcia base to be used for the initial US strikes against Iran. The president subsequently described the plan as a sign of weakness and “great stupidity”.

(max)