DONALD Trump has lashed out at the Britain’s “great stupidity” for plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The US president gave the green light to the deal yesterday – triggering fury that it would cost UK taxpayers billions.
But Trump blasted the decision in a tirade this morning, writing: “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius. FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.”
He branded the move a “GREAT STUPIDITY” before explaining why this it was “another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired”.
PM Keir Starmer’s spokesman said yesterday that the UK was “working with the government of Mauritius to finalise and sign the treaty”.
Progress had stalled due to a change of the country’s government and Trump’s team initially raising security concerns.
But it is now understood the deal will not be put back to the US once signed off by Mauritius.
Under the pact, Britain is expected to pay Mauritius £90million a year for 99 years to maintain a lease on the key military base at Diego Garcia.
