U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hold a press conference following their meeting at Chequers, near Aylesbury, Britain, Sept. 18, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump has taken aim at another NATO ally on the eve of his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, this time lambasting the U.K.
The so-called “special relationship” between the U.S. and U.K., and President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was left looking bruised on Tuesday after Trump posted a tirade against London’s decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The islands include Diego Garcia where a joint U.K.-U.S. military base is stationed. The deal, which was agreed in May 2025, saw the British government agree to hand sovereignty to Mauritius, but to lease the military base on Diego Garcia for £101 million ($135.7 million) a year.
The White House voiced its support for the deal last year but, on Tuesday, Trump said it was “an act of great stupidity.”
“Shockingly, our “brilliant” NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social early Tuesday.
The president said China and Russia would view this act as one of “total weakness,” and that they were international powers that only recognized strength.
“The U.K. giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
He added that Denmark and its European allies, who oppose Trump’s takeover bid, had to “do the right thing.”
Rift among allies
Trump’s comments come amid a growing rift between the U.S. and its European NATO allies, including the U.K. and France, over the president’s incessant pursuit of Greenland, a Danish territory in the Arctic.
Greenland, Denmark, and European leaders have said the island is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled out using military force to seize the territory if necessary. He has also threatened eight European NATO allies with escalating tariffs if they continue to block his takeover bid.
The U.K. is the second NATO ally to be lambasted by Trump in as many days, with the president threatening to impose 200% tariffs on French wines and Champagne on Monday after French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly turned down a seat on Trump’s “Board of Peace” for Gaza.
The U.K. has tried to defuse tensions between the U.S. and Europe, calling for cool heads and further discussions over Greenland.
In a press conference Monday, Starmer said that Britain greatly values its long-standing special relationship with the U.S., but that only Greenland and Denmark can decide the island’s future.
People bear Greenlandic flags as they gather in front of the U.S. consulate protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his announced intent to acquire Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland.
Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
“On Greenland, the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies,” Starmer said at a press conference in Downing Street, the PM’s official residence.
“But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside, because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works, so any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone,” he added.
Starmer spoke to Trump on Sunday night, telling him he was wrong to threaten to impose fresh tariffs on NATO allies if they didn’t agree to his demands to “buy” Greenland.
Starmer and Trump have always seemed to enjoy a warm and respectful relationship, despite their political differences.
The U.K. was the first country to strike a trade deal with Washington last year, largely owing to Trump’s apparent warmth toward the country. The U.S. president enjoyed all the pomp and pageantry the U.K. could muster during a state visit last fall.