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Donald Trump appeared to row back his previous criticism of the UK’s deal over the Chagos Islands on Thursday, even as he said the US would retain the right to secure Diego Garcia militarily.
“I understand that the deal Prime Minister [Sir Keir] Starmer has made, according to many, the best he could make,” the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, adding that he had held “very productive discussions” with his British counterpart.
The comments mark a shift from last month, when Trump accused Britain of “great stupidity” and “weakness” over the plan to transfer ownership of the Chagos Islands, including the US air base of Diego Garcia, to Mauritius.
At the time he cited the move as a reason for Washington to seize Greenland.
Trump added on Thursday: “If the lease deal, sometime in the future, ever falls apart, or anyone threatens or endangers U.S. operations and forces at our Base, I retain the right to Militarily secure and reinforce the American presence in Diego Garcia.”
This is a developing story