The Pentagon secretly paid $14 million for Diego Garcia, bypassing Congress

Evidence

According to the Notes, the United States would gain use of the new colony “without charge.” In confidential agreements accompanying the Notes, however, the United States agreed to secretly transfer $14 million to Britain. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara had approved the transfer of funds a year earlier, circumventing the congressional appropriations process. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 176

Categorization

• XREF: Parallels payments for overseas basing rights that evade legislative oversight, echoing pattern seen throughout US basing history in other texts and sources read.