• Trump calls UK's sovereignty transfer of Diego Garcia to Mauritius an "act of total weakness".
• He expresses concerns over China's and Russia's reactions to the deal.
• The U.S. previously supported the Chagos Islands agreement.
• The UK is set to lease Diego Garcia for 99 years for military access.
• Trump uses this incident to justify U.S. acquisition of Greenland.

U.S. President Donald Trump labeled the United Kingdom's decision to cede sovereignty of the strategically significant island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as an "act of total weakness." He emphasizes that this decision puts the site of a vital U.S.-UK military base at risk, further stating, "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act" according to Reuters, CBS News, and India Times.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump criticized the United Kingdom saying, "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally... is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia," framing this move as indicative of Britain's declining strength as a global ally. He further described the agreement as "another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired," raising concerns that international powers only recognize strength, according to Reuters, CBS News, and India Times.

The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, with Britain maintaining control while allowing the establishment of the Diego Garcia military base. Recently, the UK reached an agreement to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius, securing a 99-year lease for military access, which experts view as a critical aspect of U.S. defense operations in the Indian Ocean. This agreement garnered some support in Washington, as the Trump administration had previously endorsed it after a comprehensive review of its implications for U.S. military interests, as stated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to CBS News and India Times.

Despite earlier endorsement, Trump has now categorized the decision as a strategic blunder, urging that Greenland acquisition by the U.S. is justified by the vulnerabilities exposed by this UK-Mauritius deal. He highlighted the deal's potential implications for military operations and stated, "Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING," pushing for a re-evaluation of U.S. geopolitical positioning in the region, according to Reuters and CBS News.