The White House has drawn up a proposal to buy the Chagos Islands directly from Mauritius, sidestepping the United Kingdom to secure permanent control of the Diego Garcia military base, The Telegraph reported on June 7.
Mauritius rejected the premise within 24 hours. The Mauritian government stated on June 8 that it has not been approached, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. administration and that its sovereignty over the archipelago is “non-negotiable.”
The purchase plan is one of several options drafted as alternatives to the stalled UK-Mauritius sovereignty deal, according to the report. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent brought the proposal to President Donald Trump, though it is reportedly not a leading option. Any sale would require the UK to first cede the islands to Mauritius, allowing Washington to negotiate directly with Port Louis.
A U.S. official told Reuters the base is “a vital and indispensable military installation” and said Trump has been consistent that the UK should not give away the territory.
The UK shelved ratification legislation in April after Washington withdrew support for the May 2025 treaty, which would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while Britain leases the base back for 99 years at roughly £101 million per year.
The proposal lands during wartime. Diego Garcia, roughly 2,360 miles from Iran, has hosted long-range strike operations since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began in late February, and Iranian missiles have targeted the atoll, including a strike intercepted by a U.S. warship in late March. London did not authorize strikes on Iranian launchers from the base until March, a delay Trump criticized as “very late.”
Some administration officials reportedly worry that transferring the islands to Mauritius, which maintains close ties with China, could expose the base to espionage. The White House has not confirmed the proposal.
