"The position, as you know, is that when the Trump administration came in, we paused for three months to give them time to consider the Chagos deal, which they did at agency level. Once they'd done that, they were very clear in the pronouncements about the fact that they supported the deal and they were announcements made by the defence secretary, from memory, Marco Rubio as well, and by president Trump himself."
"Downing Street sources have told the Guardian the agreement, which was formally approved by Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart last May, is a done deal and will not be scuppered by the US. They said the UK government had heard nothing from either the US department of state or the US intelligence agencies that had led them to believe they had changed their minds despite Trump's fiery rhetoric."
US intelligence agencies are reported to disagree with President Trump's newly expressed opposition to the Chagos deal. The US administration had previously supported the agreement because it strengthened US defenses. Downing Street says the agreement, formally approved last May with Mauritius, is final and will not be overturned by the United States. The UK government reports no communication from the US State Department or intelligence agencies indicating a change of position despite Trump's rhetoric. Observers link the apparent U-turn to Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland. The White House review included a three-month pause while agencies examined the deal.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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