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The US president urged Sir Keir Starmer not to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius under a 99-year lease for the Diego Garcia military base.
20:36, Wed, Feb 18, 2026 Updated: 20:46, Wed, Feb 18, 2026
Donald Trump warned of an attack on the UK. (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump has warned that the UK could be attacked by a "highly unstable and dangerous regime" as he urged Sir Keir Starmer to maintain control of Diego Garcia. The US president launched into a blistering attack on Sir Keir on his platform Truth Social, suggesting that the island's military base could be used by American forces to "eradicate" such an attack.
He urged the Prime Minister not to to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius under a 99-year lease for the Diego Garcia military base. Trump wrote: "Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before.
"In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature.
"Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime — An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries.
"Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally.
"We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!"
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Donald Trump appeared to approve the deal a few days ago (Image: Getty)
This marks a departure from Trump's rhetoric surrounding the islands earlier this month, when he suggested he would agree to Sir Keir's deal.
He wrote on Truth Social: "I have had very productive discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the Island of Diego Garcia ... I understand that the deal prime minister Starmer has made, according to many, the best he could make."
The blistering message also comes just hours after the US Department of State said it "supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago".
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Under the deal, the UK will cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius but lease back the facility on the island of Diego Garcia.
Mr Trump's message also comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the US, with Mr Trump repeating over the past few weeks he is ready to launch an attack on the Middle Eastern country should they fail to strike a nuclear deal.
English (US) · 