Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with US counterparts on the British Indian Ocean Territory since President Trump took office.

The Secretary of State for Defence held an introductory call with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 31 January 2025, during which they discussed a wide range of security issues. Ministers and officials will continue to hold regular meetings with their US counterparts, including on the long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia as a shared UK and US priority.