US President Donald Trump revealed on Thursday that he was in talks with the Taliban to regain control of Bagram air base in Afghanistan. The POTUS cited its ‘strategic’ location near China as a key reason behind the move — lambasting former POTUS Joe Biden for failing to retain the military airstrip. Trump had set the terms for an US withdrawal from Afghanistan by negotiating a deal with the Taliban during his first term.
Trump floated the idea during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday — tying to a need for the US to counter China. The Republican leader repeatedly criticised his predecessor for “gross incompetence” and claimed that the base should “never been given back”. The treaty negotiated by Trump in 2020 had called for a complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months.
“We’re trying to get it back. We want that base back…They just went through the Afghanistan total disaster for no reason whatsoever. We were going to leave Afghanistan, but we were going to leave it with strength and dignity. We were going to keep Bagram Air Base — one of the biggest air bases in the world. We gave it to them for nothing,” the POTUS insisted.
Significance of Bagram Air Base
The Bagram airfield had served as the main base for American troops for nearly two decades until the chaotic withdrawal ordered by former president Joe Biden. The sprawling base close to the capital city was abandoned as Taliban militants took control of Kabul. It was captured by the militants shortly after being vacated by NATO forces left in August 2021.
China, Afghanistan counter Trump
Taliban official Zakir Jalal said the interim Afghanistan government “completely rejects” the idea.
Afghanistan and America need to engage with each other and can have economic and political relations based on mutual respect and common benefits, without America having military presence in any part of Afghanistan, he said in a post on X.
“Military presence has never been accepted by Afghans in history, and this possibility was completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement, but doors to other engagements have been opened,” Jalal added.
China too conveyed its opposition to Trump’s remarks, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian telling a media briefing in Beijing that “stirring up tension and confrontation in the region will not be supported”.
“China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity… Afghanistan’s future should rest in the hands of the Afghan people,” he said.
“Let me stress that stirring up tension and confrontation in the region will not be supported… We hope all parties will play a constructive role for regional peace and stability,” Lin said.
China, which established diplomatic ties with the Taliban government soon after its takeover of Kabul, has invested in reviving a copper mine and oil extraction projects in Afghanistan.