Trending 
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signalled his acceptance of a deal in which Britain will return the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, while maintaining a key US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
After speaking with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump posted on Truth Social that he reserves the right to “secure and reinforce” the US presence on Diego Garcia if the lease is ever threatened or the agreement fails.
The arrangement, agreed in May last year, allows Britain to return the islands while continuing to operate the base under a 99-year lease jointly operated with US forces. Trump had initially supported the deal but reversed his stance last month.
In January, he criticised the plan, tweeting that “the UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY,” framing it as a national security concern.
On Thursday, however, Trump acknowledged Starmer’s handling of the matter, saying the UK leader made the best deal he could make and reaffirmed that the US would maintain its military presence if necessary.
According to the UK Prime Minister’s office, Starmer and Trump also agreed to work “closely” on implementing the Chagos Islands agreement.
