The British government insisted its U.S. allies were foursquare behind the move, after a report claimed Washington raised concerns about the decision with the U.K.
But top Republican lawmakers echoed criticism from Conservatives in Britain that conceding to the long-standing Mauritian campaign for control of the islands could be a mistake.
Idaho Senator James Risch, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a Donald Trump supporter, said the move “gives in to Chinese lawfare and yields to pressure from unaccountable international institutions like the International Court of Justice at the expense of U.S. and U.K. strategic and military interests.”
He added: “The U.S. and our allies must take a long term approach when it comes to making decisions that affect our strategic competition with China, or we will all lose.”
Texas Representative Michael McCaul, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Diego Garcia base was “essential” to countering China and co-ordinating partners in the Indo-Pacific, adding: “The administration must ensure that U.S. security interests in the Indo-Pacific are protected by this agreement.”
‘Foreign policy fumble’
Conservative thinkers in the U.S. also weighed in against the move by the new Labour government in the U.K. “Of course this deal benefits China,” said Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank and a former adviser to British Defense Secretary Liam Fox.