Ex-U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that his administration is actively attempting to take back the strategic Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, about three-and-a-half years after it was handed over to the Taliban under the chaotic U.S. withdrawal of troops in 2021.
At a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump referred to attempts to “get it back” as a national security priority of grave importance, citing the base’s close proximity—only an hour from critical Chinese nuclear missile installations—as a prime reason for its strategic significance. Trump condemned the Biden administration for giving up the base “for nothing” and indicated that having a military presence there was key not just for Afghanistan but also for pushing back against China’s influence in the region.
The vast airfield, previously the hub of U.S. operations in Afghanistan for almost two decades of war, was also a key counterterrorism facility and a gateway into Afghanistan’s mineral-rich provinces. Trump’s administration was said to have begun discussion in March 2025 with regard to gaining back the base, as national security advisors considered it critical for intelligence and military posture.
But the Taliban and Afghan authorities have strongly opposed an idea of returning U.S. troops. Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Zakir Jalal demanded political and economic contact without any U.S. forces deployed to Afghanistan, emphasizing Kabul’s opposition to foreign military footprints.
The matter still is delicate, finding a balance between strategic interests, regional diplomacy, and Afghan sovereignty sensitivities. Trump’s words reopen a contentious debate regarding America’s presence in Afghanistan after withdrawal and the future of United States security policy in Central Asia in light of increasing competition with China.
In summary, Trump’s attempt to reclaim Bagram Air Base reflects ongoing U.S. fears about regional security dynamics but runs afoul of the Taliban’s tight control and Afghanistan’s insistence on military neutrality.
