"A Nuclear Submarine Under a Resort?"... The Identity of the 'Unknown Island' That Infuriated Trump

1. The Unknown Military Outpost, 'Diego Garcia'

Diego Garcia, the largest coral island in the Chagos Archipelago located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, boasts resort-like emerald waters and white sandy beaches, but it is also home to a dense concentration of key U.S. military facilities. On its runway, B-52 bombers—a core U.S. military asset—take off and land incessantly. Its deep-sea harbor facilities can accommodate nuclear-powered submarines, and it even houses U.S. Space Command facilities, earning it the nickname "the unsinkable aircraft carrier."

2. America's 'Forward Operating Base' in the Middle East

Along with Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, this island is considered one of the United States' two major military strongholds. Due to its overwhelming geographical advantage, it has served as a "forward operating base" in every war the U.S. has fought in the Middle East. In fact, when the U.S. launched airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels in March last year, it forward-deployed six B-2 Spirit bombers—representing one-third of the entire U.S. B-2 fleet—to this island. During the recent Iran war, when U.S. forces used this base as a launching pad for attacks, Iran attempted to strike Diego Garcia directly with ballistic missiles, though they failed to reach the base.

3. The Beginning of America's Indirect Ownership

The island was originally the territory of Mauritius, a small island nation in Africa. However, Great Britain, which ruled Mauritius as a colony, established a military base in the Chagos Archipelago in the early 1940s during World War II. Later, when Mauritius gained independence from Britain in 1968, the Chagos Archipelago remained a British territory. Britain then agreed to let the U.S. use the archipelago for military purposes, marking the beginning of nearly 60 years of indirect U.S. ownership.

4. International Pressure for Return and the UK's Agreement to Transfer Sovereignty

International opinion shifted as Mauritius demanded the return of the Chagos Archipelago. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion stating that the UK had unlawfully detached the Chagos Archipelago. In May of the same year, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding that the UK return the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius by an overwhelming vote of 116 to 6. As international pressure mounted, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer finally signed an agreement in May last year to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while retaining control of the military base on Diego Garcia for at least 99 years. This seemed to resolve the nearly century-long sovereignty dispute over the Chagos Archipelago with its return to Mauritius.

5. President Trump's Strong Brake

President Trump, who had supported the agreement until last year, suddenly targeted the UK's decision publicly in January this year. Trump wrote on social media, "For the UK to give away such a highly critical territory is incredibly foolish, and yet another national security reason why the U.S. must secure Greenland." Following Trump's fierce reaction, the British Parliament has been hesitating, failing to pass the necessary legislation to proceed with the agreement.

6. The Behind-the-Scenes Concern for the U.S.: The Close Relationship Between Mauritius and China

The real reason the U.S. is taking such a strong stance is that China stands behind Mauritius, the island's prospective new owner. Chinese President Xi Jinping has been pursuing the "Belt and Road Initiative," investing in ports and infrastructure along the Indian Ocean coast to expand military influence, and Mauritius is an essential region for expanding influence in the Indian Ocean. Since Diego Garcia sits right on the path to Djibouti, where China established its first military base in Africa, the Chagos Archipelago inevitably remains in China's sights.

Consequently, Mauritius has received active support from China, becoming the first African nation to sign a free trade agreement with China and actively attracting Chinese capital. Indeed, during the Chagos negotiations, Mauritius closely shared information with China and received full Chinese support in international legal battles, such as those at the International Court of Justice. President Xi Jinping even visited Mauritius in person in 2018.

7. Warnings Erupting in the U.S. Congress

According to recent foreign media reports, thousands of Mauritian officials have visited China to prepare for taking over the Chagos Archipelago, and hundreds more are scheduled to receive training from Beijing. Under these circumstances, warnings are erupting in the U.S. Congress that the territory must not be handed over to Mauritius.
8. The UK's Determination to Push Through the Agreement and the U.S. 'Direct Purchase' Card

Despite this all-out pressure from the U.S., the UK remains determined to push through the agreement, citing international support. Hamish Falconer, the UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, stated last month, "There is no scenario in which Washington can purchase the island of Diego Garcia," emphasizing that the British government will honor the signed agreement.

Given the situation, plans have recently emerged in the U.S. to buy back the island even after the UK transfers Diego Garcia to Mauritius. The UK's Telegraph reported early this month that the U.S. government has prepared an independent proposal targeting Mauritius to secure control of Diego Garcia, bypassing the UK.

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In the end, Diego Garcia has become an island coveted by the U.S., much like Greenland. The calculations of four nations—the UK, Mauritius, the U.S., and China—have become entangled over a single coral island in the Indian Ocean that resembles a holiday resort. Ratification by the British Parliament has ground to a halt, and the U.S. is even weighing the option of a direct purchase. The search for the owner of this island, which has dragged on for 60 years, might just be getting started.


Deep Dive Q&A
Q1. Why does Diego Garcia possess such overwhelming geographical and military value that it is called an "unsinkable aircraft carrier" by the U.S. military?

A1. Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia serves as a perfect forward operating base capable of covering the Middle East to the north, Africa to the west, and the southern front (Indonesia and Australia) to the east. In particular, it features a runway where key U.S. air assets like B-2 and B-52 bombers can take off and land, deep-sea harbor facilities where nuclear submarines can dock, and U.S. Space Command facilities. It has proven its value by serving as a core stronghold for U.S. forces during major military operations in the Middle East, such as the airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels and the Iran war.

Q2. Why is the U.S. strongly targeting this agreement even though the UK agreed to hand over sovereignty of the island to Mauritius under international pressure?

A2. The primary concern for the U.S. is the high probability that China will become the new de facto power behind Diego Garcia after the transfer of sovereignty. Currently, Mauritius maintains a relationship close to "BFFs" with China, becoming the first African nation to sign an FTA with China and receiving full legal and diplomatic support from Beijing during the sovereignty dispute. Recently, signs have emerged of Mauritian officials receiving training in Beijing to prepare for taking over the Chagos Archipelago. Consequently, the U.S. warns that the moment the island is handed over to Mauritius, it will yield a critical bridgehead to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to expand into the Indian Ocean.

Q3. What are the differences in positions between the UK and the U.S. amid this entangled sovereignty dispute, and what is the solution envisioned by the U.S.?

A3. Mindful of international opinion, including the ICJ's advisory opinion and the UN General Assembly's overwhelming resolution for return, the UK intends to push forward with the existing agreement to "transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while maintaining control of the base for at least 99 years." On the other hand, the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress strongly oppose the deal, labeling it a "foolish act." Finding it difficult to expect cooperation from the UK, the U.S. is applying pressure from all sides, even considering bilateral negotiation cards to directly purchase the island or secure independent control from the new owner, Mauritius, bypassing the UK.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.