Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump warned over the weekend that Afghanistan, now governed by the Taliban, could face unspecified consequences if Bagram Air Base is not returned to U.S. control.
“If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president did not detail what actions the U.S. might take. Speaking Thursday alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said the administration was “trying” to regain control of the airfield, criticizing President Joe Biden’s handling of the 2021 withdrawal.
“We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Trump told reporters. He did not clarify whom he was referencing or what needs he believed Afghanistan had. He added, “We want that base back, but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
On Saturday evening, Trump reiterated to reporters that his administration wants Bagram returned “right away.” He added, “If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”
Bagram Air Base, situated in Parwan Province, was originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s. The U.S. military took control of the facility in 2001 after the invasion of Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks.
When U.S. forces withdrew in July 2021, the base was handed over to the Afghan government before being captured by the Taliban weeks later as Kabul fell. The Taliban have since used Bagram for military purposes.
Earlier this year, White House hostage envoy Adam Boehler and U.S. diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad met Taliban officials in Kabul to negotiate the release of an American hostage. Taliban statements at the time said discussions also touched on potential bilateral relations and investment opportunities.
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan began under Trump in 2020, with an agreement to remove all forces by May 2021. Biden later extended the deadline to August, when the Taliban retook the country.