Trump threatens Taliban over Bagram base, citing proximity to China
The former president demands the return of Bagram Air Base, while experts warn that reoccupying the site would be complex and risky
President Donald Trump issued an ominous threat to the Taliban on Saturday, saying BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!! if they did not return Bagram Air Base to U.S. control. The remarks come as Trump has pressed for reclaiming the base, a former key hub in the 20-year war against the Taliban and al Qaeda. The United States left Bagram and other facilities behind when President Joe Biden ordered a withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021; millions of items, including weapons and vehicles, were left in the country, now under Taliban control.
Trump has cited Bagram’s proximity to China as part of his argument for regaining the base, saying it is 'an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.' He made the comment to the Daily Mail aboard Air Force One. It is not clear which site he had in mind; a BBC report in July noted a nuclear testing site in northwestern China about 1,243 miles from Bagram.
A former U.S. official told Reuters that retaking Bagram would essentially amount to re-invading Afghanistan, requiring more than 10,000 troops to hold and the costly work of repairing the base, resupplying it, and establishing a sizable perimeter to guard against rocket attacks. The official said there are no active plans to retake Bagram. Experts noted that even with Taliban consent, the base would be exposed to threats from ISIS and al-Qaeda and could be targeted by missiles from Iran. Analysts said there is no clear military advantage to holding Bagram; the risks could outweigh any potential benefit.
Trump has long criticized Biden over the Afghanistan withdrawal, describing it as a total disaster during a press conference with Britain's prime minister Keir Starmer. In his first term, Trump signed a Doha agreement with the Taliban that stipulated U.S. troops would fully withdraw by May 1, 2021. Biden carried through the commitment but moved the deadline up to August 31, 2021, when troops officially left. The withdrawal helped lead to the Taliban restoring control over Afghanistan and the collapse of the U.S.-backed government, a backdrop to Trump’s latest emphasis on Bagram.
The notes accompanying this report indicate ongoing debates about the feasibility and strategic value of reoccupying Bagram, including questions about how such a move would be received by regional actors and whether it would avert or provoke further instability in Afghanistan and the broader region.