U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer clasp a property league pursuing their gathering astatine Chequers, adjacent Aylesbury, Britain, Sept. 18, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump has taken purpose astatine different NATO state connected the eve of his quality astatine the World Economic Forum successful Davos this week, this clip lambasting the U.K.
The alleged "special relationship" betwixt the U.S. and U.K., and President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was near looking bruised connected Tuesday aft Trump posted a tirade against London's determination to manus sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The islands see Diego Garcia wherever a associated U.K.-U.S. subject basal is stationed. The deal, which was agreed successful May 2025, saw the British authorities agree to manus sovereignty to Mauritius but to lease the subject basal connected Diego Garcia for £101 cardinal ($135.7 million) a year.
The White House voiced its enactment for the deal past year, but connected Tuesday, Trump said it was "an enactment of large stupidity."
"Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is presently readying to springiness distant the Island of Diego Garcia, the tract of a captious U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to bash truthful FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump posted connected societal media level Truth Social aboriginal Tuesday.
The president said China and Russia would presumption this enactment arsenic 1 of "total weakness" and that they were planetary powers who lone recognized strength.
"The U.K. giving distant highly important onshore is an enactment of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is different successful a precise agelong enactment of National Security reasons wherefore Greenland has to beryllium acquired."
He added that Denmark and its European allies, who reason Trump's takeover bid, had to "do the close thing."
Trump's comments travel amid a increasing rift betwixt the U.S. and its European NATO allies, including the U.K. and France, implicit the president's incessant pursuit of Greenland, a Danish territory successful the Arctic.
Greenland, Denmark, and European leaders person said the land is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled retired utilizing subject unit to prehend the territory if necessary.
The U.K. is the 2nd NATO state to beryllium lambasted by Trump successful arsenic galore days, with the president threatening to enforce 200% tariffs connected French wines and Champagne connected Monday aft French President Emmanuel Macron turned down a spot on Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza.
— This is simply a breaking quality story, delight cheque backmost for further updates.
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