President Donald Trump said this week that the United States is seeking to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, describing the site as a critical asset in deterring China. The Taliban, however, flatly rejected the idea of a renewed U.S. military presence.
Trump raised the issue during a joint press conference in London on Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to Reuters, he criticized President Joe Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying Washington “gave the base to the Taliban for nothing.” Trump added that “we’re trying to get it back … because they need things from us,” signaling that discussions were underway.
The president has repeatedly tied Bagram’s value to its geography. As reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Trump has emphasized that the base sits “one hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” a location he argues gives the United States strategic leverage in its competition with Beijing.
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