White House backs Farage and accuses Badenoch of 'peddling fake news' over Chagos Islands row

Nigel Farage, who proposed offering Trump permanent use of Diego Garcia in exchange for dropping claims on the Falkland Islands, has been defended by the White House after Kemi Badenoch accused him of "careless, loose…

A White House official insisted Nigel Farage was "obviously referring to the use of the Diego Garcia military base, which is critical to countering threats from China and Iran," after Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the…

The White House has intervened in the Farage-Badenoch row over the Chagos Islands, accusing the Tory leader of spreading fake news and undermining the Anglo-American relationship. A White House official said "at no point did anyone in the administration construe Nigel's comments as suggesting that he was giving away the Chagos Islands." The row erupted after Farage told a US podcast he would offer Trump use of the Diego Garcia base in perpetuity in exchange for Trump's silence on the Falklands. Badenoch branded the remarks "humiliating."

The White House statement said Farage was "obviously referring to the Diego Garcia military base, critical to countering threats from China and Iran."

Badenoch had called Farage's idea "mad" and "careless, loose talk from a man who wants to be responsible for Britain's national security."

Farage hit back directly at Badenoch, saying: "Kemi is lying again. She just can't help herself."

The TelegraphWhite House attacks Badenoch over Farage-Chagos row The IndependentBadenoch and Farage embroiled in furious row over Falklands and Chagos Islands GB NewsRECAP: What did Kemi Badenoch accuse Nigel Farage of saying about the Chagos Islands?MetroNigel Farage says he would make shock Chagos deal with 'close friend' Trump

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