The United States had withdrawn its troops from Bagram in the summer of 2021, shortly before the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
The United States is actively working to regain control over Bagram Air Base in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, President Donald Trump said in remarks on Sept. 18.
U.S. forces relinquished control over the major air base in 2021, during the force drawdown from the country. The United States handed over control of the base to the U.S.-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which collapsed in August 2021 as the Taliban seized control over the Afghan capital city of Kabul.
Speaking during a press conference in the UK on Thursday, Trump suggested that the current Taliban authority in Afghanistan needs things that the United States can provide, and may be amenable to a deal allowing a renewed U.S. presence at the key base.
“We’re trying to get it back, because they need things from us. We want that base back,” Trump said.
The president stressed the potential strategic significance of a renewed U.S. presence in Afghanistan, including as a strategic counterbalance to China.
“One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” he said.
This is a developing report and will be updated with additional details.
By Ryan Morgan
