Speaking during an interview on BBC Breakfast, Cabinet minister Wes Streeting indicated that British officials must re-engage with Washington following disapproval from across the Atlantic. He stated that “we have to” re-evaluate the arrangement “because the United States doesn’t support it”. Streeting noted, “What President Trump said yesterday wasn’t new but I think it does provide absolute clarity that his position on this Chagos deal as currently drafted is not changing,” adding that diplomatic efforts must continue. “So we have to do more work with our American allies, with President Trump and his administration, to get the deal to a place where we can support it.”
This policy reassessment follows remarks delivered at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, where US President Donald Trump denounced the proposed accord as “terrible.” Friction over the matter previously caused the accord to be suspended indefinitely in April after the American chief executive withdrew his backing. Formulated under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the pact is currently being re-examined by London in order to align with its transatlantic partner.
Under the initial framework, the United Kingdom was slated to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago over to Mauritius. In exchange, British authorities would pay a yearly sum averaging £101m ($136m) to rent a joint UK-US military station located on the territory. The defense installation is highly valued by both nations for its advantageous geographic placement in the Indian Ocean.
