🚨 NEW: Donald Trump backtracked on the Chagos Islands deal because the UK blocked the US from using RAF bases to launch strikes on Iran
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 19, 2026
President Trump has withdrawn his support for Sir Keir Starmer’s deal to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius because the UK has not agreed to allow the use of British bases to attack Iran, The Times understands.
The White House is drawing up detailed military plans for a strike against Iran involving the use of both Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which is home to America’s fleet of heavy bombers in Europe.
Under the terms of long-standing agreements with Washington, these bases can only be used for military operations that have been agreed in advance with the government.
The Times understands that the UK is yet to give permission for the US to use the bases in the event that Trump orders a strike on Iran, owing to concerns that it would be a breach of international law which makes no distinction between a state carrying out the attack and those in support if the latter have “knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act”.
The UK is concerned that giving the US permission could amount to a breach of international law
Story: https://t.co/m6Xun3fMhm
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 19, 2026
It’s no coincidence that President Trump mentioned both the Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford in his post about the Chagos Islands in the context of an attack on Iran.
This very much suggests that Keir Starmer has told the US that they cannot use either location to launch bombers.… pic.twitter.com/Z7OjSRUXps
— Ben Obese-Jecty MP (@BenObeseJecty) February 19, 2026