Four years after the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, former President Donald Trump has called for Washington to regain control of the Bagram air base, a demand swiftly rejected by the Taliban.
The Trump camp said Thursday that the former president has long sought the return of the sprawling facility, once America’s largest military installation in the region. Trump argued that Bagram is strategically vital to counter China’s growing influence and to monitor rivals across South and Central Asia.
“We simply handed over the base to the Taliban for free,” Trump said, describing the site as “the biggest air base in the world” with a 3,600-meter runway capable of handling everything from cargo planes to bombers. He added that its location, less than an hour from China’s missile production sites, makes it critical for U.S. defense interests.
The former president also noted that Bagram would provide the U.S. with an advantage in keeping watch over Russia.
The Taliban, however, dismissed the idea. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zakir Jalal, wrote on social media that Washington should seek “friendly relations” with Kabul but ruled out any American troop presence.
“There is no place for U.S. forces in Afghanistan,” Jalal said. “We want diplomatic and economic ties with the United States, but only on the basis of mutual respect.”
Located north of Kabul, Bagram has a long and controversial history. Soviet forces first used it as a launchpad during their 1979 invasion, and later it became the hub of America’s two-decade-long war in Afghanistan. The site also housed a notorious prison where thousands were detained without charges.
When the U.S. withdrew in 2021 under the Biden administration, the base was handed over to the Taliban. Trump had strongly opposed the pullout at the time and has since accused Beijing of exerting control over the site.
