Title: The Chagos Archipelago and U.S. Military Rights: Implications of Trump’s 2025 Statement on Diego Garcia
Abstract
This paper examines U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 assertion of a retained right to “militarily secure” the joint U.S.-UK airbase at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago. It contextualizes Trump’s remarks within the historical, legal, and geopolitical dynamics of the Chagos dispute, analyzing potential implications for U.S.-UK relations, international law, and regional security. The study highlights tensions between strategic military interests and the principle of decolonization, offering insights into the broader challenges of reconciling historical colonial legacies with contemporary global power dynamics.
Introduction
The Chagos Archipelago, a strategically vital territory in the Indian Ocean, has long been a focal point of international controversy. Administered as a British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) since 1965, the archipelago was detached from colonial Mauritius to facilitate the creation of Diego Garcia, a U.S. military base leased to the United States until 1995 and informally extended thereafter. In October 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump, during discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claimed the U.S. retains the right to “militarily secure” the base, sparking renewed debate over the future of Chagos. This paper evaluates Trump’s statement through the lenses of international law, strategic interests, and regional politics, emphasizing the contested role of Diego Garcia in U.S.-UK defense cooperation and decolonization efforts.
Historical and Legal Background
The Chagos Archipelago, comprising over 60 islands, was forcibly depopulated in the 1960s and 1970s to enable the UK’s lease of Diego Garcia to the U.S. under the 1966 Treaty of Boatswain (1966–1971) and its renewal in 1995. The islands were separated from Mauritius on the eve of its independence in 1968, a move condemned by the United Nations (UN) as a denial of self-determination. In 2019, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution declaring the decolonization of Chagos a “right under international law,” but the UK responded with the 2019 Chagos (Constitutional Provisions) Act to block this.
In 2023, the UNGA reaffirmed the archipelago’s inadmissibility as a territory under UK administration due to illegality, yet the UK maintains de facto control. The Chagossian diaspora, deprived of their homeland, continues to advocate for repatriation, while legal challenges in the UK courts have stalled progress. The U.S.-UK lease agreements, though informal since 1995, have ensured U.S. access to Diego Garcia, crucial for operations in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean.
Trump’s 2025 Statement: Strategic and Legal Implications
Trump’s 2025 remarks, made during a world leaders’ summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, reflect a potential shift in U.S. strategy toward ensuring long-term access to Diego Garcia. Despite the 1995 lease expiration and informal arrangements, Trump’s assertion of a “right to militarily secure” the base suggests a disregard for the UN’s decolonization stance and the UK’s legal vulnerabilities. This posture may aim to preempt potential renegotiations or termination of the lease, particularly as the UK faces domestic and international pressure to return Chagos to Mauritius.
Legally, Trump’s claim could challenge the UK’s control over BIOT, as the U.S. might bypass formal leases by asserting operational jurisdiction. Such a stance risks violating international law, notably the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force, and could strain U.S.-UK relations if Britain perceives the U.S. as overstepping. Strategically, Diego Garcia remains indispensable for U.S. Fifth Fleet operations, surveillance of the Indian Ocean, and rapid response to crises in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific. Trump’s remarks may signal a hardening of U.S. demands for basing rights, regardless of the UK’s political evolution.
Reactions and Geopolitical Consequences
The UK government, under Starmer’s leadership, has historically balanced U.S. strategic needs with decolonization pressures. Trump’s statement could provoke diplomatic friction, especially if the UK seeks to align with the UN’s decolonization agenda. The Chagossian community, however, may view Trump’s remarks as a betrayal of their right to return, given U.S. historical complicity in their displacement.
Regionally, India and China, major Indian Ocean powers, may critique the statement as an example of enduring Western hegemony. India, in particular, has sought to limit U.S. influence in the Indian Ocean, potentially viewing Diego Garcia as a security rival. The U.S. claim could also embolden other nations to assert strategic control over disputed territories, testing the norms of international law.
Strategic Importance of Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia’s strategic value lies in its:
Operational Hub: Hosts U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard units, supporting missile defense, surveillance, and rapid deployment.
Intelligence Gathering: Facilitates signals and satellite monitoring for the Middle East, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
Humanitarian and Defense Logistics: Served as a key node during military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The U.S. reliance on Diego Garcia underscores the paradox of maintaining freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean while opposing China’s growing influence. Trump’s 2025 remarks may signal a recalibration of U.S. diplomacy to ensure that the base remains impervious to external pressures, even if the UK withdraws support.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
Trump’s 2025 assertion reflects the enduring tension between U.S. strategic interests and the UK’s precarious legal position in the Chagos dispute. The U.S. claim risks deepening divisions in U.S.-UK relations and undermining the UN’s decolonization agenda. For the Chagossians, it reaffirms their status as collateral in a geopolitical contest for Indian Ocean supremacy.
Future developments will hinge on whether the U.S. can leverage economic or political pressure to secure Diego Garcia’s indefinite use, or if the UK will be compelled to cede administrative control to meet international legal standards. As the UN and global civil society advocate for decolonization, the Chagos case illustrates the challenges of upholding historical justice in an era of shifting power dynamics. The 2025 controversy may foreshadow broader struggles over the legacy of colonialism in global governance structures.
References
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 69/642 (2015), 74/239 (2020), and 78/7 (2023).
UK Chagos (Constitutional Provisions) Act 2019.
U.S.-UK Joint Operating Agreement on Diego Garcia (1995).
Academic analyses on decolonization and U.S. military bases (e.g., Prashad, V. The Darker Nations, 2007).
Reuters, “Trump Says Retains Right to ‘Militarily Secure’ Chagos Airbase,” February 5, 2026.
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