President Donald Trump, seated beside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, backed the U.K.’s plan to give up control of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. Republicans say this is a critical check on China’s influence in the region.

Last year, Starmer began negotiations to transfer control of Chagos to Mauritius, a former British colony and current close ally of China. The British government paused the deal to allow the Trump administration an opportunity to weigh in on the transfer, as the island chain includes Diego Garcia, a joint military base operated by American and British forces.

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Trump was asked about the deal during his Oval Office meeting with Starmer, to which he stated, “I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”

“They’re talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years,” the president continued. “Actually, that’s a long time, and I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country. We have to be given the details, but it doesn’t sound bad.”

Conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic voiced displeasure with the deal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio specifically called the deal “concerning as it would provide an opportunity for communist China to gain valuable intelligence.”

Sen. James Risch (R-ID) claimed the proposed transfer “gives in to Chinese lawfare and yields to pressure from unaccountable international institutions like the International Court of Justices at the expense of U.S. and U.K. strategic and military interests.”

Meanwhile, Conservative MPs have pressed Starmer to scuttle the deal, not only for security concerns, but also based on the hefty sum the U.K. and U.S. must provide to Mauritius to continue leasing and operating Diego Garcia.

Still, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Wednesday that the deal would not progress without the consent of the Trump administration.

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“If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward and the reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal or there is no deal,” he told ITV.