Posting on the Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump wrote: “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…”
The US president stressed that Diego Garcia was “strategically located in the Indian Ocean”.
“Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before,” he said.
“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.”
And referring to ongoing US-Iran talks on Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme, Trump said: “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.”
The Republican president has repeatedly threatened to use military action against Iran over its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests and its nuclear activities.
The US and its European allies suspect that Iran is moving towards the development of a nuclear weapon, something that Tehran has always denied.
On Tuesday, the US Department of State had given its official backing to the planned handover of the Chagos Islands.
In a statement, it said it “supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago”.
Trump’s position on the issue has seen rapid U-turns in recent months – from describing the planned transfer as an “act of great stupidity” to saying the deal was the “best” the prime minister could make.