John Healey admits UK has not had any talks with Trump’s team over crumbling Chagos deal
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Donald Trump’s team is looking for a way to veto the deal as a result of concerns over possible Chinese interference. The UK has not had any discussions with the incoming Trump administration over the crumbling Chagos Islands deal, the defence secretary has admitted, amid growing concerns over the future of the agreement.
![[A deal was agreed last year to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/10/03/21/2175549955.jpg)
While the outgoing Joe Biden administration supported the deal, Donald Trump’s team is looking for a way to veto it as a result of concerns over possible Chinese interference. The Chagos Islands, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, are seen as strategically important in southeast Asia as America uses the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia for ships and long-range bombers.
Asked to outline exactly what discussions have been had between ministers and the incoming Trump administration on the future of the Diego Garcia base, John Healey admitted that no talks have yet taken place. “The system in the US... is very different to ours”, the defence secretary told the House of Commons. “The administration that is in place at the present is in place until inauguration day on January 20. That will be the point at which we as the UK government starts to pick up direct discussions with the incoming administration.
“The relationship with the US is our closest security ally. We will work with them to ensure we continue to do that.”. Mr Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz has been highly critical of the deal, last year saying: “Should the UK cede control of the Chagos to Mauritius, I have no doubt that China will take advantage of the resulting vacuum.”.
