Trump Attacks UK–Mauritius Chagos Sovereignty Deal, Citing Risk to Diego Garcia Base and Use as Justification for Greenland Push
At Davos, Trump blasted the UK–Mauritius plan to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands as an “act of great stupidity,” warning it would imperil the U.S. base on Diego Garcia despite London’s plan to retain the facility under a 99‑year lease, and analysts say he is tying opposition to the handover into a broader “Trump Doctrine” that bolsters his push for control of strategic Arctic territory. He has linked that Arctic push to coercive measures — threatening tariffs on European allies over Greenland before saying he would not impose them after a reported “framework” was reached in talks with NATO secretary‑general Mark Rutte and naming negotiators — a move that sparked a market rally even as Danish officials, Arctic experts and historical records dispute his claims about Greenland’s sovereignty and foreign naval activity.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump publicly attacked the UK–Mauritius agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, calling it an "act of great stupidity" and warning it would put the U.S. military base on Diego Garcia at risk.
- Under the UK–Mauritius framework London would transfer sovereignty but retain Diego Garcia for at least 99 years via a lease reportedly worth at least $160 million annually, a measure intended to preserve the U.S. base on paper.
- National-security analysts characterize Trump’s objections to the Chagos handover as part of a broader "new Trump Doctrine" that links opposition to the handover with his push to acquire Greenland; they warn that de jure sovereignty could allow Mauritius later to renegotiate the lease or invite Chinese access to nearby waters.
- At Davos Trump escalated his Greenland campaign by threatening tariffs on eight European countries (10% starting Feb. 1, rising to 25% June 1 if the U.S. did not acquire Greenland and allies did not cooperate), then announced he would not impose the Feb. 1 tranche after saying he and NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte had formed a "framework of a future deal."
- Trump assigned Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff to lead follow‑on negotiations over Greenland and the proposed "Golden Dome" missile‑defense plan, all reporting directly to him.
- He tied Greenland to his proposed $175 billion "Golden Dome" missile‑defense system and said discussions are underway about applying the system to Greenland; Treasury officials have invited Canada to join and share costs, while the CBO has estimated the space‑based interceptor portion could cost $161 billion–$542 billion over 20 years.
- Markets reacted positively to Trump’s announcement that the Greenland tariffs were being put on hold, with the S&P 500 up nearly 1.5%, long‑term Treasury yields falling and broad U.S. stock gains reported.
- Danish officials and experts pushed back: NATO members insist Greenland is not for sale, Copenhagen reiterated its sovereignty "red lines," Greenland’s government published crisis‑preparation guidance, and reporting documents (including a 1916 U.S. declaration and a 1933 international court ruling) back Danish sovereignty—contradicting Trump’s claims that no written ownership documents exist. Open‑source ship‑tracking data and a Greenland minister also disputed Trump’s assertions of a large Russian/Chinese naval presence around Greenland.
📰 Source Timeline (13)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 21, 2026
11:25 PM
Trump slams UK island handoff deal that could put key US military base at risk
New information:
- Trump has now publicly condemned the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it an 'act of great stupidity' and alleging it would mean Britain 'giving away' Diego Garcia to Mauritius 'for no reason whatsoever.'
- The article details that under the existing UK–Mauritius framework, London would transfer sovereignty but retain Diego Garcia for at least 99 years via a lease reportedly worth at least $160 million annually, preserving the U.S. base on paper even as Trump claims the base is at risk.
- National‑security analyst John Hemmings is quoted calling this part of a 'new Trump Doctrine' linking opposition to the Chagos handover with Trump’s Greenland ambitions, and warning that once Mauritius has de jure sovereignty it could later renegotiate or renege on the lease or invite Chinese access to surrounding waters.
- Diego Garcia’s strategic value is quantified: Hemmings notes roughly 23.7 million barrels of oil pass through nearby Indian Ocean shipping lanes daily, framing the base as central to any U.S.–China conflict over Taiwan.
11:01 PM
Trump repeats false or exaggerated claims about Greenland as he pushes for U.S. ownership
New information:
- CBS documents that Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland is backed by written instruments, including a 1916 U.S. secretary of state declaration explicitly recognizing Danish control and a 1933 international court ruling, directly contradicting Trump’s text to Norway’s prime minister claiming there are 'no written documents' of ownership.
- The article reports Greenland’s business minister Naaja Nathanielsen said she was 'not aware' of any Russian or Chinese ships or submarines around Greenland, challenging Trump’s assertions that the island is 'covered' with Russian and Chinese vessels and surrounded by destroyers and submarines.
- Open-source ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic, reviewed for Jan. 19, 2026, show no Russian- or Chinese-flagged commercial vessels around Greenland, with most traffic being fishing boats; experts say there is no indication of the large-scale Russian/Chinese naval presence Trump has described.
- Arctic scholar Marc Jacobsen is quoted explaining that Danish expeditions settled Greenland in the early 1700s and that Denmark’s sovereignty has been widely and long recognized, including by the United States, reinforcing that Trump’s legal-ownership claims run counter to established international practice.
10:19 PM
Stocks jump after Trump calls off Europe tariffs over Greenland
New information:
- CBS segment explicitly notes that U.S. stocks "jumped" after Trump said he had reached a Greenland framework and backed off his tariff threat.
- The piece frames the tariff pullback first and foremost through its effect on the Dow and broader stock market, reinforcing that investors reacted positively in the short term.
8:00 PM
Trump backs off from tariff threat over Greenland
New information:
- CBS piece directly quotes Trump’s Truth Social post saying he 'will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st,' clarifying that this specific tranche is canceled, not merely delayed in some vague sense.
- The article specifies the threatened tariffs were 10% on eight European countries opposed to his Greenland push, rising to 25% if the U.S. did not acquire the island, spelling out the escalation ladder more concretely than the prior summary.
- It notes this was Trump’s first explicit public statement that he 'won’t use force' to seize Greenland and that he is 'seeking immediate negotiations' instead — an important shift in public framing of the military option.
- The CBS report ties the rollback directly to a meeting with the NATO secretary‑general at Davos, framing the 'framework of a future deal' as a Trump–Rutte understanding rather than a purely unilateral announcement.
- It repeats, with direct quotation, that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff will 'be responsible for the negotiations' over Greenland and the 'Golden Dome' and will report directly to Trump.
7:55 PM
Trump cancels tariff threat over Greenland, says NATO agreed to 'framework' of future Arctic deal
New information:
- AP/PBS piece provides additional on‑the‑record quotes from Trump’s Davos speech, including him calling Greenland 'cold and poorly located' while insisting he wants 'right, title and ownership' of the island.
- The article emphasizes that Trump explicitly said he 'won’t' and 'doesn’t want to' use force to take Greenland, while still boasting that the U.S. would be 'unstoppable' if he chose 'excessive strength and force.'
- It adds reaction from a Danish official reiterating Copenhagen’s 'red lines' on sovereignty and willingness only to discuss U.S. security concerns, plus details on Greenland’s government publishing a crisis‑preparation handbook and residents stocking up on supplies.
- The piece underscores that NATO members remain unified that Greenland is not for sale and cannot be wrested from Denmark, framing Trump’s rhetoric as a potential rupture in an alliance dating back to the Cold War.
7:50 PM
Trump says framework of 'future deal' on Greenland reached after NATO talks as tariffs put on hold
New information:
- Trump says on Truth Social that, after a 'very productive meeting' with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, they have 'formed the framework of a future deal' on Greenland and 'the entire Arctic Region.'
- He explicitly states he will not impose the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1, citing this understanding.
- Trump names Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff as the team that will lead follow‑on Greenland/Golden Dome negotiations and report directly to him.
7:38 PM
Trump backs off Greenland tariff threat based on new "solution"
New information:
- Trump publicly backs off his threat to impose new tariffs on eight European allies on Feb. 1 over their refusal to support his Greenland claims.
- He says he has agreed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the "framework of a future deal" covering Greenland and the broader Arctic, though no concrete terms are disclosed.
- Trump links the tariff reversal to this purported framework and assigns Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff to lead negotiations, reporting directly to him.
- He says "additional discussions" are underway about how his proposed $175 billion "Golden Dome" missile‑defense system would apply to Greenland.
- Financial markets stage a relief rally on the announcement, with the S&P 500 up nearly 1.5% and long‑term Treasury yields falling.
4:17 PM
Trump challenges Carney at Davos, asserts Canada should be 'grateful' for Golden Dome missile defense
New information:
- Trump told Davos attendees the U.S. is "building a Golden Dome" missile‑defense system that "by its very nature" will defend Canada and said Canada "gets a lot of freebies from us" and "should be grateful" but is not.
- He directly called out Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney from the stage, telling him to "remember" that "Canada lives because of the United States" the next time Carney makes public statements.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Davos CNBC interview that the administration has invited Ottawa to participate in the Golden Dome and pay its share, and the White House puts the system’s cost around $175 billion.
- The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated the space‑based interceptor portion of Golden Dome could cost between $161 billion and $542 billion over 20 years.
- Carney’s Davos speech warned that great powers are using economic and security leverage to coerce allies, urged 'middle powers' like Canada to diversify and defend sovereignty, and reaffirmed support for Greenland and Denmark’s right to determine Greenland’s future, signaling opposition to Trump’s Greenland pressure.
2:21 PM
Trump rips Europe at Davos for wrong 'direction,’ points to migration and spending
New information:
- Trump told the Davos plenary he no longer 'recognizes' Europe in a 'very negative way' and said it is 'not heading in the right direction.'
- He framed past Western economic policy as built on 'ever increasing government spending, unchecked mass migration, and endless foreign imports.'
- He said energy, trade, immigration and economic growth must now be 'central concerns to anyone who wants to see a strong and united West.'
12:18 PM
Newsom at Davos: Western alliance is "dormant, not dead"
New information:
- Newsom, speaking at Davos, told Axios the Western alliance is 'dormant, not dead' and said he is in Davos to present a different U.S. vision than Trump’s.
- He predicted that financial markets will be the only force likely to push Trump off his current Greenland and tariff course, citing a sell-off in U.S. assets after Trump threatened tariffs tied to acquiring Greenland.
- Newsom reiterated and elaborated on his criticism of European leaders, accusing them of being 'complicit,' 'rolling over' to Trump, and saying he 'should've brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders,' while describing Trump as a 'T-Rex' who either 'mates with you or devours you.'
- Axios notes that Newsom’s high-profile Davos presence and foreign-policy rhetoric reinforce expectations he is positioning for a 2028 presidential run.
January 20, 2026
10:35 PM
Newsom warns ‘pathetic’ foreign leaders to grow a backbone in bizarre takedown likening Trump to a T.rex
New information:
- Newsom, at Davos, said foreign leaders are 'rolling over' for Trump and that he 'should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders,' calling their behavior 'pathetic.'
- He attacked María Corina Machado’s highly controversial gesture of presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, saying Nobel Prizes 'are being given away' and calling it embarrassing from an American perspective.
- Newsom likened Trump’s diplomacy to a 'T‑Rex' that either mates with leaders or devours them, warning Europeans they could be 'devoured' if they don’t 'stand tall, stand firm, stand united' against his Greenland‑plus‑tariffs strategy.
- The piece reiterates that Trump has announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries starting Feb. 1, rising to 25% June 1 absent a Greenland deal, deepening tensions with NATO allies.
January 19, 2026
4:49 PM
Davos' elite World Economic Forum set to open with pro-business Trump set to attend and inequality on the rise
New information:
- Confirms Trump will make his third visit to Davos as president and is expected to loom large over the 2026 World Economic Forum meeting.
- Details this year’s WEF theme as “A spirit of dialogue” and notes the agenda includes inequality, AI’s impact on jobs, tariffs and eroding trust between countries.
- Specifies that EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng will speak on the opening day, positioning them as counterweights to Trump’s agenda.
- Notes that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s planned appearance was canceled by WEF organizers due to Iran’s protest crackdown and 'tragic loss of civilian lives.'
- Reports this is the first Davos without founder Klaus Schwab in charge, with new co‑chairs including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Roche vice chair Andre Hoffman, and highlights Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s first‑time appearance.