White House rebukes UK minister Kemi Badenoch for spreading fake news on Diego Garcia remarks

On Oct. 14, 2026 a senior White House official said Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was spreading "fake news" about comments made by Nigel Farage concerning the United States’ Diego Garcia air base in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Badenoch had quoted Farage as saying that, were he prime minister, he would offer President Trump guaranteed use of the Diego Garcia base in perpetuity in exchange for the United States halting criticism of Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands. She described the remarks as "humiliating" for Britain and warned that "giving away British territory in return for someone keeping quiet is not a deal."

The White House responded that at no point did the administration interpret Farage’s statements as suggesting the United Kingdom was surrendering the Chagos Islands. A senior official emphasized that Farage was referring only to the continued use of Diego Garcia, a facility the United States relies on to counter threats from China and Iran.

The official added that anyone claiming otherwise was "peddling fake news and undermining the Anglo‑American relationship, including apparently Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch." A second U.S. official reiterated the same clarification.

The dispute unfolds amid a broader diplomatic row over the future of the Chagos archipelago. Britain’s Labour government is negotiating a deal to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while retaining a lease on Diego Garcia for the United States, a move critics say could expose the base to Chinese influence.

Analysts note that the clash reflects rising friction between Washington and London over media narratives and the strategic importance of overseas facilities, especially as the United States seeks to ensure unfettered access to Diego Garcia for regional security operations.