U.S. considers buying Chagos Islands: reports
The White House is weighing a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, according to a report. The move would seek control of Diego Garcia without going through the U.K.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The Telegraph reports that the White House is exploring options to bypass the U.K. and strike its own deal with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands. The reported aim is to preserve U.S. control of Diego Garcia, a strategically important military base in the Indian Ocean.
The Chagos Islands are like a tiny spot on a big chessboard in the ocean. The U.S. wants to keep its important base there, so it may try to make its own deal instead of letting Britain hand the islands to Mauritius.
Analysis
What the report says
The Telegraph reported on Sunday, June 7, 2026, that the White House is considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius. According to the report, U.S. officials have drawn up a proposal that would bypass the U.K. and create a separate deal to keep control of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago and home to a major U.S.-British military facility.
Why Diego Garcia is central
The article says Diego Garcia is viewed in Washington as a vital installation because of its strategic location in the Indian Ocean. A U.S. official told Reuters that President Trump has been consistent in opposing the U.K. giving away the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the joint facility on Diego Garcia. The official also said the U.S. remains in regular discussions with Britain to preserve the island’s role as a regional security platform.
Where the U.K. deal stands
Britain’s government paused its plan in April to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after U.S. opposition, according to the report. Trump had already criticized the arrangement in February, calling it a “big mistake,” and later described it as “great stupidity.” Reuters noted that it could not immediately confirm the Telegraph report, and the U.K. Foreign Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The article frames the issue as a sovereignty dispute with direct security implications: Mauritius wants control of the territory, Britain had been moving toward a transfer, and the U.S. appears to want a separate arrangement that protects its military presence on Diego Garcia.
Key points
- The Telegraph reported that the White House is considering buying the Chagos Islands from Mauritius.
- U.S. officials are said to be exploring a deal that would bypass the U.K. and keep control of Diego Garcia.
- Diego Garcia hosts a major U.S.-British military facility and is described as strategically important in the Indian Ocean.
- Britain paused its plan to cede the Chagos Islands in April after U.S. opposition.
- Reuters said it could not immediately confirm the report, and the U.K. Foreign Office had no immediate comment.
If the reported plan advances, the U.S. could secure Diego Garcia’s role as a stable regional security base without disruption. A separate deal could also avoid uncertainty around the island’s future while keeping discussions with Britain and Mauritius open.
The reported effort could deepen tensions over sovereignty, especially if Mauritius sees a U.S. deal as bypassing its claims. It could also prolong the broader dispute if Britain, the U.S., and Mauritius cannot agree on a path that satisfies both security concerns and territorial claims.
