AdvertisementAdvertisementThis image realeased by the US Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia. (Photo: US Navy via AP)08 Jun 2026 06:16AM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInAdd CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST The White House is considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, the Telegraph reported on Sunday (Jun 7).US officials have drawn up a proposal to bypass the UK and make their own deal to take control of Diego Garcia, the report said. The plan is among several options being drafted by the White House, in a paper aimed at providing alternatives to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ceding sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, the report said."President Trump has been consistent in his position that the United Kingdom should not give away the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes our joint US-UK military facility on the Diego Garcia atoll," a US official told Reuters.Show MoreShow Less"Diego Garcia’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean makes it a vital and indispensable military installation of significant importance to the national security of the United States," the official said, adding the US remains in regular discussions with Britain to preserve the island's viability as a regional security platform.Britain's government in April put on hold its deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, home to the US-British Diego Garcia air base, which has been criticised by Trump.Iran missiles targeting Diego Garcia base fell short, intercepted: UK ministerTrump calls UK's Chagos deal with Mauritius 'stupid' and 'weak'Chagos Islands deal: UK High Court lifts injunction allowing government agreement to proceedTrump said in February the deal was a "big mistake".“The government inherited a situation where UK control over the military base on Diego Garcia was under threat and action was required to protect UK national interests and to prevent our adversaries from getting a foothold in a location of such strategic importance," a UK government spokesperson said.“Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US, which has protected our shared security for nearly 60 years," the spokesperson added. "Maintaining long-term operational control and security of Diego Garcia is the entire basis for the UK-Mauritius agreement, an agreement borne out of the real long-term risks to the base of which both the UK and US are very well aware."Source: Reuters/fsSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST