Trump recently showed interest in a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, far from Sri Lanka and Mauritius.Image: keystone
Feb 18, 2026, 10:13 p.mFeb 18, 2026, 10:13 p.m
In view of a possible escalation between the United States and Iran, US President Donald Trump is insisting that Great Britain does not return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as planned. If the current negotiations over, among other things, the Iranian nuclear program fail, the USA could rely on the island of Diego Garcia to ward off a possible attack from Tehran, Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
The airfield in Fairford in southwest Great Britain should also be used in the event of defense. Trump promised that an attack would also “potentially be directed against the United Kingdom and other friendly countries.”
Diego Garcia is one of the Chagos Islands. It is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, far from Sri Lanka and Mauritius. According to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the military base is one of the country’s most important contributions to the security partnership with the United States. Both Diego Garcia and Fairford are already in use by US forces. (sda/dpa)