Trump: "UK's Return of Chagos Is Foolish... Another Reason to Acquire Greenland"

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his intention to annex Greenland, criticized the United Kingdom's decision to return the Chagos Archipelago as a "foolish act" and linked it to the necessity of securing Greenland, thereby increasing the pressure.

On January 20 (local time), President Trump said on the social media platform Truth Social, "Shockingly, our 'wonderful' North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally, the United Kingdom, is planning to hand over Diego Garcia Island in the Chagos Archipelago-which hosts a major U.S. military base-to Mauritius for no reason at all."

He continued, "There is no way that China and Russia will fail to notice such a completely weak act," adding, "These are international powers that recognize only strength, which is why, under my leadership, the United States has gained unprecedented respect in just one year."

He further emphasized, "The United Kingdom giving away such a critically important territory is an extremely foolish act and is just one of the many reasons why we must acquire Greenland," adding, "Denmark and its European allies must do the right thing."

President Donald Trump giving a speech. Photo by Yonhap News

Last May, the Keir Starmer administration in the United Kingdom signed an agreement to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, while securing control over the military base on Diego Garcia Island within the archipelago for at least 99 years.

The joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia is especially strategic for the U.S. military. For this reason, some have voiced opposition to returning the Chagos Archipelago, expressing concerns that China and Russia could exert influence over Mauritius.

The Starmer administration virtually secured the support of the Trump administration during a White House summit early last year. However, President Trump's reversal after one year, raising the issue of returning the Chagos Archipelago, is interpreted as an attempt to pressure the United Kingdom by linking it to the Greenland issue.

President Trump argues that since Denmark has failed to counter the threats from Russia and China in Greenland, the United States must secure Greenland. When NATO allies in Europe, including the United Kingdom, opposed this and dispatched only small contingents of troops, he threatened to impose tariffs on these countries.

The BBC reported that the United Kingdom has already received public support from major allies, including the United States, and responded that the agreement was made for security reasons.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the UK government said, "The United Kingdom never compromises on our national security," adding, "We took action because the Diego Garcia military base was threatened by court rulings that weakened our position and could prevent us from operating as we wish in the future."

The spokesperson continued, "This agreement guarantees the operation of the joint UK-US military base for generations to come, maintains unique capabilities, and includes strong provisions to deter adversaries," adding, "It has been publicly welcomed by key international partners, including the United States, Australia, other Five Eyes allies, as well as India, Japan, and South Korea."