Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly affirmed that the United States could resort to military force to defend its access to the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean if future political arrangements jeopardize U.S. operations there. The warning, made via social media, comes in the context of a recent agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius that transfers full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago — including Diego Garcia’s surrounding islands — to Mauritius while retaining a long-term lease to maintain the base.
Diego Garcia, a remote atoll between Africa and Southeast Asia, hosts a pivotal joint U.S.–U.K. military facility used for intelligence, logistics, aerial refueling, long-range air operations and communications, and supports thousands of U.S. and allied personnel. Trump emphasized its “great importance to national security” and stated that should the 99-year lease lapsed or any entity threatened U.S. access, he retains the right to “militarily secure and reinforce” the American presence there.
His comments mark a notable reiteration of Washington’s commitment to strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, though British and Mauritian officials have maintained that the agreement protects the base’s operational continuity. The base’s role in supporting missions across the Middle East and Africa underscores its enduring strategic significance.
