Greenland to Chagos-Diego Garcia: Is China the Common Factor for Trump? | Taiwan Talks EP759

The UK has withdrawn the Chagos Islands bill from parliament following criticism by Donald Trump, representing another u-turn for the British government. In a Truth Social post, the US President lashed out at the UK government over their handover of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, linking it to his push to acquire Greenland. Like Denmark’s autonomous territory, the UK-owned Chagos hosts a US base (Diego Garcia) that plays a critical role in Washington’s ability to project its power and conduct military and intelligence operations in all regions of the globe. While Trump has stepped back — at least for now — from his threats of using force or tariffs against NATO allies, his remarks have raised fresh questions about US commitments to its alliances and the rules-based international order. Are Chagos and Greenland part of a single strategic vision? Has Trump’s pressure campaign damaged transatlantic trust — and could it drive Europe closer to China? In this episode, we examine the geopolitics of Chagos and Greenland, implications for NATO and the global order, and what a fracturing West could mean for Taiwan’s security and the Indo-Pacific.

*Recorded on January 23, 2026 at 11am Taiwan Standard Time

Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat
Consultant: George SJ Nee
Research assistant: April Lin

Our guests:

Grant Newsham
- US Marine Corps Colonel (Ret.)
Tony Hu
- Former US Department of Defense Senior Director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia
Michael A. Turton
- Taipei Times Columnist

Chapters:
00:00:00 – Trump Brings Chagos into Greenland Campaign
00:01:55 – Trump Walks Back Threats Over Greenland
00:08:30 – Why is Trump Linking Chagos, Greenland?
00:18:08 – Trump Tones Down Rhetoric Against NATO




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