President Trump on Saturday warned that “bad things would happen” if Afghanistan didn’t agree to hand over the Bagram Air Base back to the US military, an idea that’s been rejected by the Taliban-led government in Kabul.
“If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
While Trump claims the US built Bagram, the airfield was first constructed by the Soviet Union. Bagram became the largest US military base in Afghanistan during the 20-year US war in the country, and US forces pulled out of the airfield during the withdrawal in 2021.
Trump said during his visit to the UK last week that one of the reasons he wants Bagram is because it’s “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” The president made similar comments while he was on the campaign trail in 2024, saying that if he were still president during the withdrawal, he was going to “keep Bagram” and leave 4,000 troops at the facility.
In response to Trump’s latest comments, the Taliban-led government, known officially as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, called on the US president to uphold the Doha agreement, referring to the deal that was negotiated by the first Trump administration and led to President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“Under the Doha agreement, the United States pledged that it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs. Therefore, it is necessary that they remain faithful to their commitments,” said Afghan government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat, according to TOLO News.
Trump had suggested that the US may be working on a diplomatic deal with Afghanistan on Bagram, but that was rejected by Fasihuddin Fitrat, the chief of staff of Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry.
“Recently, some voices claim that we are in talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to negotiate the return of Bagram Airfield, or that we are seeking a political settlement after failing to take it by force. We assure the people of Afghanistan that no agreement over even an inch of our soil is possible,” Fitrat said.
