Downing Street sources say agreement is ‘done deal’ and will not be scuppered by US president’s U-turn
US intelligence agencies disagree with Donald Trump’s newly found opposition to the Chagos deal, Keir Starmer has said, as he underlined how the US administration had supported the deal as it bolstered their defences.
The prime minister made his remarks, which could undermine the US president’s fresh view of the deal as an “act of great stupidity”, on the flight to Beijing for a visit that will cover UK national security among other issues.
Downing Street sources have told the Guardian the agreement, which was formally approved by Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart last May, is a “done deal” and will not be scuppered by the US.
They said the UK government had heard nothing from either the US department of state or the US intelligence agencies that had led them to believe they had changed their minds – despite Trump’s fiery rhetoric.
