Taliban Rejects Trump’s Call to Retake Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan
A senior Taliban official has dismissed the idea that the United States could reclaim Bagram airbase, once the centerpiece of Nato operations in Afghanistan, after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Washington should take it back.
Taliban Push Back Against U.S. Military Return
Zakir Jalal, an official in the Taliban’s foreign ministry, said the notion of a renewed U.S. military presence in Afghanistan was “completely rejected” during earlier negotiations between the two sides.
“Throughout history, Afghans have not accepted foreign military presence. This possibility was ruled out during the Doha talks,” Jalal wrote on social media, while stressing that the Taliban remains open to other forms of engagement.
His remarks came shortly after Trump told reporters in the UK that the U.S. had “given [Bagram] away for nothing” and hinted Washington might try to take it back “because they need things from us.”
Bagram’s Strategic Importance
Bagram airbase, located north of Kabul, was the hub of U.S. and Nato operations for two decades before being handed to Afghan forces in 2021, just before the Taliban takeover.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the U.S. should have retained control of Bagram—not because of Afghanistan, but because of its proximity to China. On Thursday, he said the base’s location, “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” made it strategically vital.
However, a BBC Verify investigation in July found that China’s nearest nuclear testing facility lies roughly 2,000km (1,243 miles) away in northwestern China—far beyond Trump’s claimed distance.
No Evidence of Chinese Presence at Bagram
Trump has also suggested China has since established a presence at the airbase, but both the Taliban and satellite evidence dispute this.
A BBC analysis of 30 satellite images taken between late 2020 and 2025 showed minimal activity at Bagram and no signs of Chinese military occupation.
On Friday, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry reiterated Beijing’s position, stating:
“China respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The future of Afghanistan should be decided by the Afghan people.”
U.S.-Taliban Relations Remain Strained
While Trump has criticized his successor Joe Biden for completing the 2021 troop withdrawal, the U.S. and the Taliban continue to engage in talks. Recent discussions have reportedly centered on American citizens detained in Afghanistan, according to Reuters.
Despite Trump’s remarks, the Taliban insist Bagram will remain under Afghan control. For Kabul’s rulers, allowing any foreign military return is a red line.