UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said US intelligence agencies still support the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal despite Donald Trump's new opposition. Speaking en route to Beijing, Starmer stressed that the US administration backed the deal last year, which strengthens their defence. "The position, as you know, is that when the Trump administration came in, we paused for three months to give them time to consider the Chagos deal," Starmer told reporters. "Once they'd done that, they were very clear... that they supported the deal – announcements were made by the defence secretary, Marco Rubio, and President Trump himself." Trump recently called the UK's plan to give Diego Garcia island to Mauritius "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY" on social media. He linked this to his desire to acquire Greenland, claiming China's and Russia's notice of the island transfer showed weakness. Downing Street sources say Trump's sudden change surprised them but had no effect on the deal's progress. They confirmed no US agencies had reversed their support. Under the 2024 agreement, the UK will hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but keep a 99-year lease for the Diego Garcia US-UK military base. The base is worth £3.4 billion and is vital for defence. Starmer said the deal "secured the base for the long term." The next legislative step on the Chagos handover has been delayed in the House of Lords, reportedly due to ongoing talks with the US. A No 10 spokesperson said, "We're continuing to work with the US... throughout the treaty development." Starmer also said he "will not yield" on the issue of Greenland despite Trump's pressure. The Chagos deal remains a "done deal," underscoring close UK-US security ties amid global challenges.