Trump Announces Plan to Regain U.S. Control of Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — U.S. President Donald Trump has announced Washington’s intention to regain control over Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump emphasized that the U.S. had effectively handed over the base to the Taliban in the past and is now taking steps to reclaim it.

"We are trying to get it back because they need something from us. We want to regain this base," the president stated, noting one of the motivations is Bagram’s strategic location—just an hour’s drive from nuclear production facilities in China.

Bagram Airbase, built during the Soviet era, was used by U.S. forces from the start of military operations in Afghanistan in 2001. After the U.S. withdrawal and the fall of the Afghan government in 2021, the base came under Taliban control.

Taliban representatives have stated that they are not ready to allow the return of American troops, offering instead economic and political cooperation based on mutual respect.

Washington still does not recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan and limits public engagement, focusing only on negotiations related to the release of American citizens.

According to CNN, discussions about reclaiming Bagram have been ongoing in the Trump administration since at least March, with objectives including strategic monitoring of China, access to mining operations, combating ISIS, and reopening a diplomatic mission.

However, any such moves would require a military presence, which would conflict with the 2020 agreement on the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces.