The UK government has defended a deal to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base, following criticism from US President Donald Trump over its handling.
In a post on social media, Trump labelled the move as an "act of great stupidity" and "total weakness", months after he and senior US officials endorsed it.
In response, the UK government said it would "never compromise on our national security", while the prime minister's official spokesperson insisted the US still supported the move.
The UK signed the £3.4bn ($4.6bn) agreement in May, under which it would retain control of a UK-US military base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday morning, Trump said: "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
