Trump Says He’s ‘Disappointed’ by Starmer for Blocking Use of Diego Garcia for Iran Strikes

The Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory, remains a crucial strategic hub for U.S. operations across several regions.

A US Air Force weapons loader delivers a 2,000lbs bomb for loading into a B1 bomber at the Diego Garcia base, UK, on 22 Oct. 2001. USAF/DOD/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was disappointed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s refusal to use the joint UK–U.S. military base on Diego Garcia island to strike Iran.

In an interview with The Telegraph, published on March 2, Trump said that Starmer’s initial refusal to let Washington use the Chagos Islands base was unlike anything that had “happened between our countries before.”