Michael Rubin
On February 18, 2026, President Trump publicly warned British PM Keir Starmer that entering a 100-year lease for Diego Garcia with Mauritius is a “big mistake.”
-Contradicting previous State Department backing, Trump argued that the base’s sovereignty is non-negotiable, particularly as tensions with Iran reach a breaking point.
-With the Starmer government already reeling from the Peter Mandelson/Epstein scandal, Trump’s escalation highlights the base’s role as a vital launchpad for long-range bombers.
-Critics argue that ceding sovereignty to a Beijing-aligned Mauritius creates a strategic vulnerability that the “Donroe Doctrine” will not tolerate.
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