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Topics: US News, UK News, World News, Politics, Donald Trump
Lucy Devine
Topics: US News, UK News, World News, Politics, Donald Trump
The British government has allegedly blocked the US from using its Royal Air Force bases to support a potential attack on Iran.
In previous years, RAF bases in Gloucestershire have been used to carry out strikes by the US, as well as Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean. However, according to The Times, Sir Keir Starmer has blocked the US using RAF bases for strikes on Iran.
Apparently, Donald Trump's withdrawal of support over the Chagos Islands was reportedly down to the UK's decision to block the bases.
Last year, the Trump administration seemed to support the UK government on the move, with the president telling Starmer he had 'a feeling it’s going to work out very well'.
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However, Trump has since said in a recent Truth Social post that Starmer is 'making a big mistake by entering [into] a 100-year lease' with Mauritius.
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is 'claiming' Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
"Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature."
Trump continued: "Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally. We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."
The islands are home to a joint US-UK military base. As part of the deal, the UK agreed to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while maintaining a base for 99 years for £101m ($136m) a year.
A UK government spokesperson said: “As routine, we do not comment on operational matters.
“There is a political process ongoing between the US and Iran, which the UK supports. Iran must never be able to develop a nuclear weapon, and our priority is security in the region.”
UNILAD has also reached out to The White House for comment.