Donald Trump Copyright AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
He has repeatedly laid claim to Greenland, and now he has his sights set on warmer climes, according to Bild.
The U.S. government, the newspaper reports, is considering the possibility of purchasing the Chagos Islands. This archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 2,000 kilometers northeast of Mauritius, to which they legally belong. The U.S. needs them to maintain long-term control over the strategically important Diego Garcia military base.
The Chagos Islands, which are now part of the Republic of Mauritius, were formerly a British colony. Diego Garcia is the main island of the archipelago. The UK and the US still operate a military base there. In May 2025, London and Mauritius reached an agreement: the UK would recognize Mauritius’ sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, and in return would receive the right to use the military base for another 99 years. Trump initially approved the deal but later criticized it as “a big mistake.” In April 2026, the United Kingdom suspended the transfer of the islands to Mauritius.
A U.S. government official told Reuters that Trump views Diego Garcia as an irreplaceable military base of immense importance to U.S. national security. Washington wants to keep it and sees a risk in transferring the islands to Mauritius. However, according to The Telegraph, he is now considering the option of offering to buy the islands from Mauritius.
