Donald Trump warns Keir Starmer to not give in to ‘wokeism’ and give away Chagos Islands

Metro ^ | February 18, 2026 | Barney Davis

[MinorityRepublican]

Donald Trump has flip-flopped over whether Sir Keir Starmer should ‘give in to wokeism’ and hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius, a day after approving the deal.

His defiant message comes as dozens of planes head towards the Middle East with tensions between Iran and the US reaching a breaking point after nuclear talks.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said Sir Keir would be making ‘a big mistake’ if he proceeded with plans to hand over the islands – which are home to a joint US-UK military base.

The plans would see the UK lease the base on Diego Garcia from Mauritius at a cost of £35 billion over the next century.

On Tuesday, the US State Department said it ‘supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago’.

But in his post on Wednesday, Mr Trump said leases were ‘no good’, adding the base could be necessary for a strike on Iran.

He said: ‘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 UK 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 UK, 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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TOPICS: United Kingdom
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[HYPOCRACY]

He’s trolling the little homo.

[Williams]

flip flopped my a$$.

[butlerweave]

You can’t talk to Starman it goes in 1 ear and out the other without touching a thing

[Carry_Okie]

I’m assuming the issue is Diego Garcia.

[gibsonguy]

BS he has not “ flip-flopped”. He told that fool not to do it from the moment the a-hole floated the idea.

[ealgeone]

Make 'em an offer.

Maybe he's a Republican.

Don Rickles in Kelley's Heroes.

[montag813]

I’m assuming the issue is Diego Garcia.

It's worse than that. Giving up the entire Chagos gives China access to areas close to DG, so even if we still get to use DG, it is far less secure with a significant Chinese naval presence there, welcomed by the Mauritius morons.

[Ciexyz]

Think of all the US military people who died to protect Great Britain in WW 2. Never again!

[Flag_This]

"hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius"

Prior to French occupation, Mauritius had nothing to do with the uninhabited Chagos Islands. France chose to administer them together, and Great Britain continued the tradition when they took over in 1814. The Chagos Islands cannot be handed "back" to Mauritius, since they never owned them in the first place.

[Carry_Okie]

Giving up the entire Chagos gives China access to areas close to DG,

I did look around by satellite photo but didn't see much in the way of another island big enough for a base with a dock and a landing strip. Yes, the Chinese might be able to make one out of an atoll, but it's a long way out of town.