The United States is looking to regain control of Bagram air base in Afghanistan, former President Donald Trump said during a press conference alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The airfield, built by the Soviets and later used by American forces, was Washington’s main military hub in Afghanistan from 2001 until the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. After the exit, the Taliban quickly took control of the country, including Bagram.
“We’re trying to get it back,” Trump told reporters, calling Bagram a key strategic base because of its location near China. “We want that base back.”
Afghanistan, however, firmly rejected the idea of any U.S. return. Zakir Jalal, an Afghan foreign ministry official, said the country would not allow American troops to re-establish a presence. He stated that Kabul seeks to build ties with Washington on political and economic grounds but without foreign military involvement.
“The presence of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is unacceptable and unworkable,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in its statement.
China also weighed in on the issue, urging respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the future of Afghanistan should be decided by its people and warned that outside interference only fuels confrontation.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials have been engaging with the Taliban government over separate matters. On Saturday, Adam Boehler, Trump’s special hostage envoy, and Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, met Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss American citizens detained in Afghanistan.
The United States still does not recognize the Taliban-led government, but discussions continue on humanitarian and diplomatic concerns. Trump’s remarks about Bagram, however, mark a significant point of tension, with Kabul making it clear that any return of foreign troops is off the table.
