US President Donald Trump issued a warning to Afghanistan , demanding the return of Bagram Air Base to Washington or face consequences. “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
The ultimatum follows remarks made earlier in the week during Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, where he revealed Washington was “trying to get it back.” Standing beside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer , he said: “We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.” He also complained that the United States had “gave it to them for nothing,” adding that Bagram is “exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles.”
Bagram, located 40 kilometres north of Kabul, was the largest US military base in Afghanistan and a key hub of operations during the two-decade war. US and NATO forces withdrew from it in July 2021 as part of a Trump-brokered peace deal that paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power. Since then, the base has been under the control of the Taliban government, which has rejected the idea of foreign troops returning. “Not even an inch of Afghan soil is acceptable for foreign military presence,” Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said.
Other Afghan officials have echoed this stance. Zakir Jalaly, from the foreign ministry, wrote that Afghanistan was open to political and economic engagement but that “the US will not be allowed to re-establish a military presence.”
China has also voiced opposition to Trump’s call, accusing Washington of stoking regional instability. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters: “China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of its people. Hyping up regional tensions does not win support.”
The issue underscores the base’s strategic significance. Its location gives access to volatile parts of Central and South Asia, while also offering a vantage point close to China’s sensitive Xinjiang region, where Beijing maintains nuclear missile sites. Analysts warn that any US attempt to retake Bagram would be viewed by China as a direct challenge to its security interests.
Despite questions from reporters about whether he would consider sending troops, Trump declined to elaborate, saying only: “We won’t talk about that, but we’re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away.” He added: “If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”
The ultimatum follows remarks made earlier in the week during Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, where he revealed Washington was “trying to get it back.” Standing beside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer , he said: “We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.” He also complained that the United States had “gave it to them for nothing,” adding that Bagram is “exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles.”
Bagram, located 40 kilometres north of Kabul, was the largest US military base in Afghanistan and a key hub of operations during the two-decade war. US and NATO forces withdrew from it in July 2021 as part of a Trump-brokered peace deal that paved the way for the Taliban’s return to power. Since then, the base has been under the control of the Taliban government, which has rejected the idea of foreign troops returning. “Not even an inch of Afghan soil is acceptable for foreign military presence,” Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said.
Other Afghan officials have echoed this stance. Zakir Jalaly, from the foreign ministry, wrote that Afghanistan was open to political and economic engagement but that “the US will not be allowed to re-establish a military presence.”
China has also voiced opposition to Trump’s call, accusing Washington of stoking regional instability. Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters: “China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of its people. Hyping up regional tensions does not win support.”
The issue underscores the base’s strategic significance. Its location gives access to volatile parts of Central and South Asia, while also offering a vantage point close to China’s sensitive Xinjiang region, where Beijing maintains nuclear missile sites. Analysts warn that any US attempt to retake Bagram would be viewed by China as a direct challenge to its security interests.
Despite questions from reporters about whether he would consider sending troops, Trump declined to elaborate, saying only: “We won’t talk about that, but we’re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away.” He added: “If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”
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