How Badenoch's meeting with Mike Johnson led to Trump's Chagos deal rant

US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Britain over its decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, branding it an act of "great stupidity". The remarks came after a meeting between Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, which reportedly raised concerns about the deal among US officials.

According to Downing Street sources, Badenoch warned Johnson that the UK had made a mistake in signing the agreement with Mauritius, citing potential national security implications. The warning was then relayed to Trump through Johnson's office, sparking an unprecedented rebuke from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Sunak told Parliament on Wednesday that Trump's comments were aimed at putting pressure on him over his stance on Greenland, rather than specifically targeting the Chagos deal. However, with Starmer's sharp response on Twitter, the opposition leader seems to be holding firm against Trump's bullying tactics.

The row began after Farage warned of potential issues with the US administration not liking the Chagos deal in October last year. Since then, Downing Street has been engaged in a frantic lobbying effort to persuade Trump's allies that the agreement remains in their interests.

Despite this, tensions between the two nations remain high, with Trump threatening Denmark's allies with additional tariffs over the issue of Greenland. Sunak has insisted that he will not yield on Britain's principles and values regarding the Chagos Islands deal, sparking a dramatic shift in his relationship with Trump.

For Labour, the episode offers an opportunity to portray the Conservative government as weak-kneed in the face of US pressure. However, with Starmer pressing ahead with plans to ratify the agreement through Parliament, it remains to be seen whether the Prime Minister can withstand Trump's verbal barrage.

I don't think this is cool at all that Trump is attacking Britain over the Chagos Islands . I mean, come on, he's being super childish and aggressive for no reason. It's like he's trying to bully Sunak into backing down just because he said something about Greenland . And what's with all the backroom deals between Trump's team and Conservative MPs? It's so shady . Anyway, I'm glad Starmer is standing firm against Trump's bullying tactics . The UK shouldn't have to bow down to US pressure just because someone else wants something . Sunak needs to stay strong and stick to his principles . This whole situation is so frustrating .

I'm not surprised by this whole thing, to be honest. The Chagos Islands deal has been a contentious issue for ages and it's about time someone spoke out against it. But come on, Trump being Trump? He's always been good at stirring up drama. And Kemi Badenoch warning Johnson about the national security implications is a total no-brainer. It just goes to show that even Conservative MPs are getting fed up with the government's stance on this issue.

But what really gets my goat is how Sunak is handling it all. I mean, I get his principle and all, but sometimes you gotta know when to give in and compromise. And with Trump's bullying tactics, I'm not sure if Sunak will be able to withstand it for much longer. Labour might be right to pounce on this, though - the government does look pretty weak right now.

And let's not forget that Denmark's allies are getting threatened with tariffs over Greenland? That's just ridiculous. It's like Trump is trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. I just hope Sunak can keep his cool and not let Trump's antics get to him.

I think its pretty cool that Trump is actually calling out the UK for being stupid . Like, honestly who doesn't love a good controversy? Its not like Britain was gonna win any awards for diplomacy anyway . And yeah, Sunak can just shrug it off and be all strong like a boss . I'm actually kinda rooting for the opposition to stand firm against Trump's BS. It'll be fun to see how this all plays out!

omg, like i cant even believe what trump is saying about britain he's literally bullying sunak over this chagos islands deal and it's getting pretty embarrassing for him in the process . but seriously, why can't us politicians just have a calm conversation instead of resorting to public insults? like, what's the big deal about the chagos islands again?

and btw, i feel bad for rishi sunak - he's gotta deal with trump's tantrums and still try to run the country . but at the same time, starmer is right on target with his twitter response - it's all about standing up for what you believe in, even if it means going against the usa .

anyway, let's just hope trump doesn't start threatening other countries' sovereignty next . that'd be a total disaster .

I'm actually kinda surprised that Trump is making such a big deal out of this Chagos Islands thing... like, what's the US really getting out of it? And isn't the UK just following through on some treaty they already made with Mauritius? It seems pretty clear-cut to me.

I'm also curious about why Trump is using his famous "bullying tactics" to try and get Sunak to back down... doesn't that just kinda look like a bully trying to silence someone who's not agreeing with them? And isn't it kind of rich that he's threatening Denmark's allies over Greenland, considering how much drama there was about it in the first place?

I'm also wondering if Sunak is just playing hard to get here... is he really so confident that his party would stand behind him on this, or is he trying to use this as a way to shore up support among the public?

Trump thinks he's got Britain over a barrel but honestly, I think this is just another example of him being a bit of a sore loser . Remember when Obama used to give him crap about his Twitter habits? Now it's like the whole world's against him and it's getting old. The Chagos Islands thing is just a red herring anyway - Greenland's what's really the issue here . I swear, if Trump keeps making a fuss over everything, someone's gonna have to tell him to chill out already .

This whole thing is pretty bizarre... I mean, who does Trump think he is? Can't believe the UK would even go down that route with the Chagos Islands . It's like they're trying to stir up trouble on every front - Greenland, China, you name it. And now Starmer's got his back, saying the PM won't budge on this one... gotta wonder if Sunak's lost his nerve a bit? Still, can't help but think this is all just part of Trump's master plan to stir up drama and get what he wants... wish they'd just keep it civil for once

ugh this is crazy , so like the US President is literally trying to strong arm the UK over something that doesn't even affect them directly? and now our PM is holding firm and not backing down, it's actually kinda inspiring , but at the same time i'm worried about the fallout from this whole situation , will the Conservatives be able to weather the storm or will they cave in under all the pressure ?

omg like can you even believe what trump is saying about britain?? i'm so proud of PM rishi sunak for not giving in to trump's bullying tactics he knows what's best for his country and won't back down just to please the us president meanwhile, starmer is on point with that tweet response can't wait to see how this whole drama plays out

I gotta say, this whole thing is just a prime example of how outta touch our so-called leaders are when it comes to international diplomacy. I mean, come on, @Rishi_Sunak is basically saying "screw you" to the US, and now Trump's all like "oh look at me, I'm gonna bully him". It's like they're playing some kind of twisted game where they think it's okay to just strong-arm each other over these massive international deals. Newsflash: it ain't about being tough, it's about making smart decisions for the greater good!

I don’t usually comment but... I think this whole thing is super weird . One minute the UK and US are all friends, and the next they're going back and forth like a pair of teenagers in a school hallway . Trump's always been a bit of a wild card, but come on, Britain, you're not exactly swimming in friends right now . And what's with this business about Greenland? Can't we all just get along? The Chagos deal might be a big deal for some people, but is it really worth the drama? I don’t know, maybe I'm just too out of touch, but can someone please explain this to me in simple terms?

OMG, this is getting crazy! Like, I'm not surprised that Trump would go off on a tangent about the Chagos Islands, but come on! He's basically bullying Rishi Sunak over it... like, what even is that? And Farage was right to warn them, TBH. The whole thing feels super fishy and like a PR stunt for Trump's ego. I mean, I know the UK government needs to stand firm on this one, but can't they just ignore him and do what's best for their own interests? It's like, priorities, guys!

Omg u wont believe whats going on!!! so trump is literally attacking britain over the chagos islands deal its like wow cant he just chill?? i mean i get that the us has some concerns but come on man the uk made a decision and ur gonna bully them about it? thats not how diplomacy works lol. rishi sunak is a total boss for not giving in tho hes standing up to trump and its so satisfying to see him hold his ground against all that trash from trump. starmer is also looking good for bringing this topic to parliament lets see if they can get it passed

This whole thing is a classic example of how diplomatic backroom deals can go horribly wrong when both parties get their feathers ruffled . I mean, Trump's "great stupidity" comment was completely uncalled for, and Sunak's refusal to budge on the Chagos Islands deal shows he's not afraid to stand up for Britain's interests .

It's also interesting to see how Labour is trying to turn this into a weakness of the Conservative government. But, if they're going to play it that way, they need to be prepared to offer some solid alternatives themselves . I mean, the US and UK have been allies for decades, but sometimes you gotta stand firm on what's important to you .

On the other hand, Trump's behavior is just plain weird . I don't get why he feels the need to threaten Denmark over Greenland if it's not even relevant to the Chagos Islands deal . It's all just a bit of diplomatic gamesmanship, but sometimes you gotta wonder what's really going on behind closed doors .

Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this whole thing plays out . In the meantime, I'm just going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the drama .

omg what's going on w/ this chagos islands deal like, cant we just leave the brits alone? anyway i was thinking back to when bush used to get all bent outta shape over some minor thing and trump is doing exactly the same thing but worse lol like seriously what's the diff, is it really that hard to just agree on something??

OMG, this is getting crazy ! Like, what even is Trump thinking? I mean, come on, Britain making a decision about their own islands and he's going ballistic? It's not like they're asking permission from him or anything. And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that he's trying to pressure Rishi Sunak over this? Like, get over yourself, Donald!

I'm also loving Starmer's clapback on Twitter , that was a great burn. But for real though, this whole thing is just so frustrating. It feels like the US is trying to bully other countries into doing what they want, and it's just not okay. We need some global diplomacy skills stat!

OMG, did you see this? The data on UK-US relations is looking pretty messy right now. Here are some stats that might give you an idea of just how bad things have gotten:

75% of Americans think the US should be more involved in international affairs... guess what's happening with the Chagos deal?
42% of Brits support the UK government's stance on the agreement, but 57% are worried about the implications... like who isn't?
Trump's comments have boosted the Tories' popularity by 5% among Brits who were already on the fence... but will it stick?
The Labour Party is doing some serious damage control with Starmer's tweets, and their approval ratings are up 3% as a result... can they keep this momentum going?

I think what's really interesting here is how Trump's comments have created an environment where the UK government feels like it's walking on hot coals. With tensions running high between the two nations, it's anyone's guess what will happen next. Will Sunak hold firm or cave under pressure? Only time will tell!

omg u guys i cant believe what trump is doing rn like hes literally trying to strong arm rishi sunak into changing britains mind about the chagos islands deal i mean i get it he wants control over greenland but does he have to go after britain too?? its kinda embarrassing for us Brits when trump starts yelling at our pm like rishi is gonna cave under all that pressure lol anyway i think sunak is being super cool staying firm on his values and not letting trump get to him

omg, these politicians and their egos ... so America thinks they can just tell Britain what to do and Britain's all like "nah, we're good" meanwhile trump is over here threatening tariffs on Denmark's friends... I mean, who tries to negotiate with a toddler? & poor sunak trying to hold firm against trump's tantrum... does anyone think trumps going to listen to starmer or just ignore him like he always does?