Trump may veto the Chagos Islands deal. Starmer aims to close it. Concerns arise about costs, renewal terms, and Chinese interference.
The US has a secret airbase there. It’s on Diego Garcia island. Some worry about Chinese interference. Giving up control could allow this.
Biden’s team supported the prior agreement last year. Trump listens to UK Brexiteers now. They advise him to reject this deal. The White House denies any new agreement with Trump.
A US official stated they review the agreement. They worry about the Diego Garcia base. Rubio and Lammy will meet in Munich. They’ll discuss Chinese interference. Starmer and Trump may also talk soon.
This pushback arises from reports of a worse deal. Mauritius now has a different prime minister. Navin Ramgoolam wants better terms.
The UK might pay more to lease Diego Garcia. It could cost £18 billion, not £9 billion. The lease lasts 99 years. The new deal lacks automatic renewal.
Ministers promised to reveal the costs. Now, they might not publish them. Ramgoolam said an agreement is coming. He said the UK needs Trump’s approval first.
The UK spokesman said Parliament will see treaty details. He wouldn’t confirm if costs would be shown. He couldn’t say if Trump will accept it. The US administration needs time to think it over.
