Trump Vows to Protect Key US Base at Diego Garcia Amid Lease Deal

"I have had very productive discussions with (British) Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the Island of Diego Garcia," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "It is the site of a major US Military Base, strategically situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and, therefore, of great importance to the National Security of the United States."

Trump emphasised the strategic role of US bases abroad. "Our Military Operations, over the course of the last year, were successful because of the strength of our warfighters, modern capability of our equipment and, very importantly, the strategic location of our Military Bases for staging, and other reasons," he wrote.

Addressing a reported lease arrangement between United Kingdom and Mauritius involving the island, Trump said he understood the British prime minister's position. "I understand that the deal Prime Minister Starmer has made, according to many, the best he could make," he wrote.

But he issued a clear warning about any future risk to US interests. "However, if the lease deal, sometime in the future, ever falls apart, or anyone threatens or endangers US operations and forces at our Base, I retain the right to Militarily secure and reinforce the American presence in Diego Garcia," Trump said.

Trump also rejected challenges to the US presence there. "Let it be known that I will never allow our presence on a Base as important as this to ever be undermined or threatened by fake claims or environmental nonsense," he wrote.

The White House echoed that message during its regular briefing. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had spoken directly with Starmer and backed his decision. "He spoke with Prime Minister Starmer directly. He understands Prime Minister Starmer's position and he supports it," she told reporters.

Leavitt stressed that US security rights remain intact. "But as the president reiterated in that statement, of course the United States reserves the right to protect our assets. We still have a military base, of course, on the island of Diego Garcia," she said.

She added that Trump's position extends beyond this case. "The United States will never waver, if necessary, in protecting our assets anywhere in the world, but including on Diego Garcia," Leavitt said.

Leavitt did not provide further details about the lease arrangement or any timeline for future decisions. Her remarks focused on reaffirming US military access and the president's support for an allied leader's approach, while underscoring American red lines.

Diego Garcia hosts one of the most important US military facilities overseas and has long served as a hub for operations in the Indian Ocean region. The base has been central to US power projection across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

The island has also been at the center of international legal and political debates involving sovereignty and governance, but successive US administrations have treated uninterrupted access to the base as a core national security priority.

- IANS