UK officials believe the Chagos Islands deal, which would transfer sovereignty over the islands to Mauritius while retaining UK and US military control on Diego Garcia, is on hold due to President Trump's objections. The plan, worth £165m for three years followed by £120m annually, has stalled as Trump views it negatively, citing the sudden Mauritian claim of ownership despite longstanding US support for the deal. With no signs that the agreement can be adapted to suit Trump, payments to Mauritius are on hold until there is a change in the president's stance or an alternative solution is found.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Wes Streeting, Britain’s defence secretary, announced that annual payments worth at least £120 million to Mauritius are on hold as the government reconsiders an agreement over the Chagos Islands. This decision came after Donald Trump criticized the deal during a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the UN General Assembly in New York. The original agreement would see the UK cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius and pay approximately £101 million annually to lease back a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which is strategically important due to its location in the Indian Ocean.
Streeting emphasized that the deal cannot proceed without US support, highlighting the need for cooperation with American allies to ensure the agreement safeguards the long-term future of the base at Diego Garcia. The defence secretary noted that previous efforts to adapt the deal have not succeeded, and current negotiations are focused on reaching an arrangement that both Mauritius and the US can accept.
Written for “Chagos Islands Deal” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 38 other(s) covering the same event.
The Chagos Islands deal is on hold for as long as Donald Trump objects to it, UK officials believe, with no immediate signs it can be adapted to suit the US president.
asserted
it → object → president
After Trump savaged the three-way plan as “a terrible deal” during a meeting with Andy Burnham at the UN general assembly, the prime minister said he was “confident” the UK would be able to find a solution to revive the idea.
asserted
UK → savage → idea
But while efforts are still taking place to do this, there is an acceptance in the government that it is extremely unlikely unless Trump has another change of heart.
asserted
Trump → take → heart
“Until the president changes his mind there will not be any progress,” one official said.
asserted
official → change → mind
We were waiting for the president to present a view, which he has.”
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he → wait → which
The UK signed a treaty last year to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, part of the Indian Ocean archipelago, under a 99-year lease.
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UK → sign → lease
Mauritius was set to receive £165m for three years and £120m a year from the fourth year.
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Mauritius → set → year
Wes Streeting, the UK defence secretary, said on Wednesday morning that payments worth at least £120m to Mauritius were on hold given the deal could not go ahead without US support.
uncertain
deal → say → support
“This deal as it is currently constituted can’t go ahead without American support,” Streeting told BBC Radio 4’s Today’s programme.
asserted
Streeting → constitute → programme
“So we have to get a deal to a place where it commands American support as well as the agreement of the government of Mauritius and our government.”
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it → have → Mauritius
The US had supported the plan, but Trump changed his mind amid a wider deterioration of relations with Keir Starmer over the lack of UK support for the US attacks on Iran.
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Trump → support → Iran
Speaking after their first in-person meeting at the UN in New York on Tuesday, Trump praised Burnham but gave no ground on his scepticism about the Chagos deal.
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Trump → speak → deal
“I don’t support it.
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I → support → it
I think it’s terrible,” Trump told reporters.
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Trump → think → reporters
[Mauritius] all of a sudden say they have ownership.
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they → say → ownership
Somebody has ownership that never showed up before, after decades and centuries.
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that → have → decades
I think it’s ridiculous.”
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it → think → ?
Burnham later said he had “inherited the situation” and had told Trump “that we will work to find that resolution between the different sides”.
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we → say → sides
He added: “It was clear that we need to come to that agreement, but I’m confident we can find it working with our US partners.
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it → add → partners
The UK government has previously made clear that Washington’s approval is a prerequisite for the plan.
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is → make → plan
UK officials stress, however, that while Burnham inherited the impasse from Starmer, there is no intention to deprioritise a plan, begun under Rishi Sunak, that the government says is vital to ensure the future of the strategically vital Diego Garcia base, given Mauritian claims to sovereignty of the archipelago.
uncertain
government → stress → archipelago
“It’s not back to the drawing board, as we do need to find a diplomatic solution to this,” another UK official said.
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official → ’ → this
“Everyone agrees something has to be done, which is why several prime ministers and even more foreign secretaries have tried to get it over the line.”
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ministers → agree → line
Streeting stressed the same point to the BBC, saying: “The ostrich strategy of sticking our heads in the sand … I would caution is not a wise strategy when it concerns one of the most sensitive national security assets we have anywhere in the world.”
asserted
we → stress → world
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