Trump Considers Buying Chagos Islands From Mauritius to Secure Base

In this Just the News article, Brett Rowland reports that the Trump administration is exploring whether the United States should buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius as a way to secure the strategically critical Diego Garcia military base.

• The White House is reportedly weighing several options to protect U.S. access to Diego Garcia, including a direct purchase of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly brought the purchase idea to President Trump, though the article says it is not currently considered the leading option.
• Diego Garcia is described by a White House official as “a vital and indispensable military installation” for U.S. national security.
• Mauritius says it has not been approached by the Trump administration and insists its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is “non-negotiable.”
• The article notes that pricing such a deal would be highly complicated because there is no clear market formula for valuing a territory with major strategic military importance.
• A long-term lease may be more realistic than an outright purchase, according to Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
• Any purchase would likely require congressional authorization and funding.
• Diego Garcia supports about 2,400 military and civilian personnel and has served as a key U.S. logistics hub for operations including the Gulf War, Iraq War, and recent actions involving Iran.
• The broader dispute stems from Britain’s stalled plan to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while retaining access to Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
• Trump has criticized the UK handover plan as a “big mistake,” and Britain paused the deal after the U.S. withdrew support.

Read the full story: https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/trump-weighs-buying-chagos-islands-secure-base