Taliban officials delivered a strong refusal late Thursday to former President Trump’s recent suggestion that the United States might regain control of Bagram Air Base. This key facility was the last major American base abandoned during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Despite the rejection, the officials indicated a willingness to engage in discussions aimed at improving bilateral relations between the two nations.
During a press conference held Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Mr. Trump revealed that his administration had been actively working towards reacquiring Bagram Air Base, located just outside Kabul. U.S. forces had vacated the base in 2021, shortly before the Taliban swiftly regained control of Afghanistan.
“We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Mr. Trump stated. He emphasized Bagram’s strategic importance for the United States, noting its proximity: “it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
While Mr. Trump has previously voiced his disapproval of the U.S. abandoning the air base, his comments on Thursday marked the first public confirmation that potential negotiations for its reclamation were underway.
The Taliban government wasted no time in issuing a response, signaling an openness to dialogue but firmly ruling out any return of U.S. security personnel.
Zakir Jalaly, an official with the Afghan foreign ministry, shared on social media, “Without the U.S. having any military presence in Afghanistan, both Afghanistan and the U.S. need to engage with each other, and they can have political and economic relations based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
Mr. Jalaly further elaborated, “Afghans have never accepted the military presence of anyone throughout history. But for other kinds of engagement, all paths remain open for them.” He characterized Mr. Trump as “a good businessman and negotiator, more than just a politician.”
Other officials adopted a less conciliatory tone. Muhajer Farahi, a deputy minister, posted part of a poem on X (formerly Twitter): “Those who once smashed their heads against the rocks with us, their minds have still not found peace.” He concluded his post with a stark “Bagram, Afghanistan.”
Mr. Trump did not offer specifics on his vision for Bagram during his Thursday remarks. Since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, the United States has maintained minimal public engagement with Afghanistan, primarily limited to hostage negotiations. In a rare visit to Afghanistan last week, Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s special envoy for hostage response, met with the Afghan foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Kabul.
The State Department redirected all inquiries regarding Bagram to the White House, which in turn referred comments to the Department of Defense. In a statement on Thursday, the Pentagon asserted that “we are always ready to execute any mission at the president’s direction.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, congressional Democrats swiftly condemned Mr. Trump’s statements.
“It’s deeply, deeply troubling that the president of the United States can be that idiotic,” remarked Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, in an interview.
Afghanistan has largely remained isolated globally since the Taliban assumed power. No country, aside from Russia, has officially recognized the Taliban government. Its economy continues to struggle, failing to attract significant foreign aid or private investment. As the United Nations General Assembly prepares for high-level meetings beginning Monday, Afghanistan will once again be unrepresented due to a standing U.N. travel ban on its officials.
Bagram Air Base, situated 25 miles north of Kabul and originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, was the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan throughout the two-decade occupation.
In March, Mr. Trump had previously argued that the United States should have maintained its presence at Bagram, asserting it was “not because of Afghanistan but because of China, because it’s exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles.” At that time, he alleged that Bagram was “now under China’s influence,” a claim the Taliban denied.
The 2020 agreement signed between the Taliban and the United States during the first Trump administration explicitly stipulated no provision for retaining Bagram Air Base or any other military foothold. It clearly stated that the United States would “withdraw from Afghanistan all military forces of the United States.”
During its withdrawal, the United States left behind vast quantities of weapons and military equipment, as well as a sprawling, now-vacant embassy compound in central Kabul. U.S. military uniforms and footwear are still found in Kabul’s bustling bazaars, and international visitors arriving from the airport are greeted by defiant graffiti: “Our nation defeated America with the help of God.”