President Donald Trump is reportedly evaluating a proposal to acquire the Chagos Islands from Mauritius. This move is part of ongoing discussions about the future of the strategically significant Indian Ocean territory, home to the joint U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia.
Strategic Considerations
The proposal is one of several options being reviewed by the White House as an alternative to a previous plan where the UK would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The new plan would allow the United States to negotiate directly with Mauritius for long-term control of Diego Garcia if the islands were first made sovereign.
Reports indicate that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented the idea to Trump, although it is not the leading option. Some administration officials have expressed concerns about potential security risks if the islands are transferred to Mauritius, given its ties with China.
International Reactions
The UK paused its proposed sovereignty agreement in April after the U.S. withdrew support, with Trump previously criticizing the deal as a “big mistake.” Mauritius has stated it has not received any proposal from the Trump administration regarding the islands.
Mauritius reiterated its stance on the territory’s ownership, asserting that its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is non-negotiable. The islands have been a critical military asset for both the U.S. and the UK, especially amid ongoing conflicts involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
Local and Historical Context
Representatives of displaced Chagossians continue to press for a resolution. A delegation from the Chagos Refugees Group recently visited the UK, advocating for an agreement on the islands’ future. The Chagos Islands dispute has remained unresolved for decades, with Britain having removed approximately 2,000 indigenous Chagossians in the late 1960s and 1970s to establish the military base on Diego Garcia.
For now, no formal U.S. proposal has been presented, and discussions continue on the future of this strategically significant territory.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
