Bagram Base Battle: Trump Eyes Strategic Return Amid Taliban Rejection
Trump highlights Bagram's strategic significance near China while Taliban firmly rejects any US military return.
Former US President Donald Trump has publicly stated that his administration is actively seeking to regain control of Afghanistan’s Bagram Airbase from the Taliban. The airbase, which was the largest American military installation in Afghanistan, was abandoned during the US withdrawal in 2021—subsequently falling under Taliban control. Trump underscored the strategic value of Bagram due to its proximity to China, noting it is “just an hour away from where China develops its nuclear weapons.”
Despite these assertions, officials from the Taliban have categorically rejected the prospect of a renewed US military presence in Afghanistan. Zakir Jalal, a Taliban foreign ministry spokesperson, declared that while Afghanistan is open to political and economic dialogue with the US, any form of American military return—including at Bagram—is out of the question. The Taliban view the return as incompatible with their goal of establishing Afghanistan free from all foreign troops.
Bagram Airbase had served as the central hub for US and NATO military operations for nearly two decades and held a notorious prison for high-profile detainees. When the base was abandoned, thousands of inmates were released, impacting the security landscape of the region. Trump’s remarks have reignited debate over US-Afghan relations and the broader implications for geopolitics in Central Asia, particularly regarding US-China dynamics.
