The on-again, off-again discussion around the Chagos Islands would appear to be back on. Those islands happen to contain the strategic Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia. The United Kingdom, which controls the islands, balked at allowing American aircraft to use the base as a launching point for attacks on Iran, but Diego Garcia is well within range of Iran - and China, which the B-52 and B-2 bombers can reach from the Indian Ocean base.
The Chagos Islands are in the process of being handed over to Mauritius. But President Trump has another idea: Buy the Chagos Islands (or, presumably, at least the base at Diego Garcia) from Mauritius directly once the transfer is complete.
A dramatic new proposal from Washington could upend Britain's long-running strategy for the Chagos Islands and reshape the future of one of the West's most important military bases.
The White House is reportedly considering a plan to acquire the Chagos Islands directly from Mauritius, bypassing Britain and potentially derailing Sir Keir Starmer's efforts to transfer sovereignty of the disputed Indian Ocean territory. According to The Telegraph, US officials have drafted proposals that would allow Washington to negotiate its own arrangement over Diego Garcia, the strategically vital UK-US military base in the archipelago — amid growing geopolitical tensions involving Iran and China that have sharpened Washington's determination to maintain control of the facility.
The UK's PM Starmer may be put off by the idea, but President Trump would seem to be intending to leave them out of the loop with this latest plan.
Read More: UK Balks on Iran Strikes, Trump Fires Back Over Diego Garcia
UK Chagos Islands Deal Back on After Added Security Guarantees Earn Trump's Support
And, honestly, giving up control of the base at Diego Garcia wouldn't be the best move, geopolitically. It's isolated enough to make it something of an exercise to hit, and yet is within strike distance of some key geopolitical adversaries, like Iran and China. The islands control a big sweep of the Indian Ocean; we wouldn't want, say, China making a deal with the Mauritians for control, which they may very well try to do, especially since Mauritius already has economic ties to China.
Security officials have reportedly expressed concerns that transferring sovereignty to Mauritius could create new vulnerabilities, with some Trump administration members fearing that Mauritius's diplomatic ties with China could expose surrounding waters to surveillance and espionage. Former foreign policy adviser Ben Judah told The Telegraph that Diego Garcia contains highly sensitive facilities that are difficult, if not impossible, to replicate elsewhere.
At the moment, this plan appears to be little more than a trial balloon. The issue of the UK handing the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius is far from settled. Diego Garcia remains, for the moment, a joint US/UK venture. So, the status quo might be expected to continue for some time to come.
The Indian Ocean is a place that will probably only become more strategically important in the next few years, with China becoming increasingly interested in expanding into that region. Diego Garcia is a key toehold in that region. It's an interesting problem - and President Trump is floating what might be an interesting solution.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
Help us continue to report on the administration’s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member