President Donald Trump urged UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to "give away" the strategically vital island of Diego Garcia, warning that a proposed 100-year lease could undermine Western security at a critical juncture.

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump stated he had advised Starmer that "intergovernmental leases are not a good thing" and criticized the UK's potential long-term lease agreements with entities claiming rights over Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean as a "big mistake."

Trump wrote that the "relationship with the UK is strong and unbreakable," but warned that Starmer was "losing control of this very important island through entities that were never known before" and that such claims were "fictitious."

Diego Garcia, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, has long been home to a joint UK-US military base, playing a crucial role in projecting influence across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The island has served as a staging ground for US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and is seen as key to deterring adversarial powers such as Iran and China.

President Trump's warning comes amid renewed tensions between the two nations over Iran's nuclear ambitions and regional aggression.

He stated that "if Iran refuses to negotiate on nuclear matters, the United States may have to use Diego Garcia and Fairford Air Base to deter potential attacks from a very unstable and dangerous regime."

He warned that "such attacks could lead to attacks on other allies, including the United Kingdom."

President Trump argued that "Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control of Diego Garcia by entering into an unstable 100-year lease for any reason," asserting that "this land should not be taken from Britain, and if it is, it will be a stain on our great ally."

The status of Diego Garcia has been the subject of international legal disputes in recent years, particularly since the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in 2019 recommending that Britain cede control of the Chagos Archipelago to the East African nation of Mauritius.

British officials have faced increasing diplomatic pressure to negotiate the future of the territory.

Security experts have long argued that any change in sovereignty or long-term control could hinder US military access and weaken Western deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

President Trump made it clear that the issue was also tied to radical leftist ideology, stating, "We are always ready to fight for Great Britain, and we will have the will and ability to do so, but Britain must stand strong against progressivism and many other things."

Trump has alluded to a broader struggle to maintain strength against hostile regimes and resist other pressures that he believes weaken Western resolve, particularly in opposing left-wing ideologies represented by "wokeism."

President Trump reiterated, "Never give away Diego Garcia for free!"

US NNP=Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special to this newspaper NNP info@newsandpost.com