Trump has made things very clear and US allies need to pay attention.
President Donald Trump issued a firm warning this week, stating that the United States could take military action if America’s access to the strategically critical Diego Garcia air base is ever threatened.
In a post published Thursday on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that protecting the joint U.S.–U.K. military installation in the Indian Ocean remains a top national security priority. The president also signaled a willingness to ease recent tensions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer following what he described as “very productive discussions” focused on the future of the base.
Trump stressed that Diego Garcia’s location makes it indispensable to U.S. defense planning, global military readiness, and the protection of American interests abroad.
According to Trump, the base’s position in the center of the Indian Ocean allows the U.S. military to support operations across the Middle East, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region. He made clear that any attempt to undermine American operations at the base would not be tolerated.
The president acknowledged that the United Kingdom recently finalized what he described as “the best deal possible” under an agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing Diego Garcia back for at least 99 years. Still, Trump warned that future developments could change the situation.
Trump stated that if the lease were ever weakened, canceled, or used to threaten U.S. forces, he would reserve the authority to secure and reinforce the American military presence at Diego Garcia.
He also rejected potential legal or environmental challenges to the base, arguing that such claims should never interfere with U.S. national security or the safety of American service members.
Trump’s comments marked a more measured tone compared to remarks made earlier this year, when he criticized the U.K.–Mauritius agreement as dangerously weak and accused British leadership of jeopardizing a vital Western military asset.
Diego Garcia currently serves as a hub for long-range bomber operations, military logistics, intelligence collection, and secure communications. The base supports approximately 2,500 U.S. military and civilian personnel and has played a key role in past operations related to Afghanistan and counterterrorism missions in Yemen.
British authorities have acknowledged that President Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently spoke by phone about Diego Garcia, with both leaders emphasizing the need to maintain uninterrupted military operations at the base. Officials from both countries indicated they would continue working closely to protect the facility’s long-term role.
Under the agreement, British taxpayers are expected to bear significant long-term financial obligations, with public estimates projecting costs reaching tens of billions of pounds over the next century. These costs include regular payments to Mauritius and additional compensation tied to the lease arrangement.
The agreement has faced pushback from members of Britain’s Conservative Party, who contend that the arrangement diminishes the U.K.’s strategic leverage and could strain its long-established security relationship with the United States.
Mauritius has stated that its sovereignty over the islands is recognized under international law and has called for swift implementation of the agreement.
British officials have said they continue to engage closely with Washington to address concerns and reassure U.S. leaders that the agreement will not interfere with American military operations.
For President Trump, however, the message remains clear: the United States will take whatever steps are necessary to protect critical military infrastructure and ensure America’s national security interests are never compromised.
