<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US President Donald Trump has slammed the British government's plan to lease back a vital military base in the Indian Ocean as part of a deal with Mauritius.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The UK is planning to hand back sovereignty of the remote Chagos Islands, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, to Mauritius after months of negotiations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The biggest of the archipelago's islands is Diego Garcia, which is a joint US-UK military base. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-increases-military-pressure-on-iran-ahead-of-talks/22330d65-102d-4034-983f-30de6d0dd560" rel="" target="_blank" title="US increases military pressure on Iran ahead of key talks"><strong><span>US increases military pressure on Iran ahead of key talks</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Do not give away Diego Garcia," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"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."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Britain plans to lease back Diego Garcia under a 99-year agreement worth billions of dollars. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-tells-uk-not-to-lease-diego-garcia/18c268ac-bd59-4d85-969f-2121b2f39826" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The island, 500km south of the Maldives Islands, has an air base and naval port.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The outburst by Trump, a longtime critic of the UK-Mauritius agreement, comes after his administration this week officially backed the agreement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement on Tuesday, the US Department of State said it "supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-phone-call-with-benjamin-netanyahu-threatens-iran/b847b2ad-586d-4638-9caf-76d7c0959653" target="_blank" title="Donald Trump threatens Iran with repeat of 'Midnight Hammer' after meeting with Netanyahu"><strong><span>Donald Trump threatens Iran with repeat of 'Midnight Hammer' after meeting with Netanyahu</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in his social media post, Trump accused the UK of making a "big mistake".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease..."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump that Diego Garcia was "strategically located in the Indian Ocean".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump also said Diego Garcia could play a role in any American military action against Iran, if talks over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear program fail.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia... in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump has ordered a powerful military force to the Middle East over past weeks as talks between US and Iranian officials continue.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> - With the BBC</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google 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