The Liberty Daily 
(The Epoch Times)—U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 18 urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to retain control of Diego Garcia, saying the island territory could help deter future aggression by Iran.
“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime. An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social Post.
Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
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In the 1960s, the United States and the UK reached an agreement to turn Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago, into a joint military hub.
Last year, the UK entered into an agreement to transfer control over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.
The agreement would allow the UK to continue operating the joint UK-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia for at least 99 years, with the opportunity to extend the lease by another 40 years.
“Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump’s comments about the Chagos Archipelago agreement came a day after the U.S. State Department said the United States “supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago.”
Asked about the conflicting statements during a press briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would have the final word on the matter.
“The post should be taken as the policy of the Trump administration. It’s coming straight from the horse’s mouth,” Leavitt said.
While Trump has criticized the Chagos Archipelago agreement in past Truth Social posts, his latest comment on Wednesday was the first to tie the island to negotiations with Iran.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators held negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, this week, as Trump continues to press Tehran for new security concessions.
The talks appear primarily focused on Iran’s nuclear programs, but could also touch on Iran’s missile programs and sponsorship of designated terrorist organizations.
In an interview with Fox News on Feb. 17, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said “everything is on the table” in the discussions, but said the main focus is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“That is the red line the president of the United States has consistently set,” Vance said.
As she spoke with reporters on Wednesday, Leavitt said there was some progress made in the latest round of negotiations in Geneva, “but we’re still very far apart on some issues.”
“I believe the Iranians are expected to come back to us with some more detail in the next couple of weeks, and so the president will continue to watch how this plays out.”
