Taliban representatives have dismissed President Trump’s suggestion that Bagram Air Force Base, located near Kabul, could be returned to U.S. control. This base was left behind during the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan that occurred under the Biden administration.
While the Taliban had previously engaged with the Trump administration over the Soviet-era base, they firmly stated that U.S. military personnel would not be allowed on Afghan soil.
Zakir Jalali, an official from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioned that the U.S. and Afghanistan might foster economic and political relations based on “mutual respect and shared interests.” However, he emphasized that a military presence from the U.S. was unacceptable.
Muhajr Farahi, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture, shared thoughts on Social Platform X, expressing feelings about past conflicts, saying, “The one who once slammed his head on a rock with us, their hearts have yet to find peace.”
Trump, during a press conference in the UK alongside British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, remarked, “The U.S. gave the Taliban a ‘nothing’ base.” He continued, “By the way, we’re trying to get it back. It could be a bit of a breaking story. They need things from us, so we’re attempting to reclaim it.”
“We want that base back, primarily because, as you know, we’re just an hour away from where China is developing nuclear weapons,” he added, yet did not elaborate further on plans to reinstate control over the base.
The Taliban took control of the base following a chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021, marking it as the largest U.S. military installation in the country.
In February, the president asserted that the U.S. should maintain oversight over its bases, suggesting that the People’s Liberation Army of China had taken a stake in the area.
Recently, U.S. officials have been engaging with Kabul about American citizens detained in Afghanistan. Trump’s special envoys, Adam Berer and Zalmei Khalilzad, have held discussions with Amir Khan Muttaki, who served as a former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and is now the foreign minister for the Taliban.
Trump has consistently criticized the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, a situation that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in suicide bombings at the Kabul airport.
