US backs UK-Chagos handover deal to Mauritius, pledging Diego Garcia security

The US backs the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia base for 99 years, with Downing Street and White House confirming continued cooperation on implementation. Trump endorsed Prime Minister Starmer’s agreement as the best possible deal, but said he reserves the right to reinforce US operations if needed; the White House reiterated the US will protect its assets. A draft ratification bill is advancing amid security concerns and criticism from Conservatives and Reform UK about national security and Mauritius’s ties to China.