Trump Looks To Go Back To Afghanistan

The Trump administration has been weighing options for months to retake Bagram Airfield from Taliban control, according to multiple reports, in a move that underscores continuing U.S. strategic interests in South Asia.

Located about 40 miles north of Kabul in Parwan province, the base once anchored American operations during the 20-year war in Afghanistan. It was abandoned by the Biden administration in July 2021 during the disastrous troop withdrawal. Shortly afterward, the Taliban seized the base. At its peak, Bagram supported more than 100,000 personnel, with a two-mile runway capable of handling bombers and cargo aircraft, as well as medical and detention facilities.

“We’re trying to get it back, by the way, okay. That could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back, because they need things from us.” “We want that base back.” “It’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”

🚨JUST IN: President Trump on Bagram Air Base:

"We're trying to get it back, by the way, okay. That could be a little breaking news. We're trying to get it back, because they need things from us."

"We want that base back."

"It's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear… pic.twitter.com/jrDho9X7Ns

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 18, 2025

CNN reported that the discussions said the initiative has been in motion since at least March, driven by security and economic considerations. Supporters argue that Bagram’s location less than 500 miles from China provides a critical vantage point for monitoring regional activity. The site could also serve as a hub for counter-ISIS operations, mineral extraction, and even a renewed diplomatic presence.

The president has repeatedly blasted the 2021 withdrawal under Joe Biden, calling it a grave mistake that forfeited a vital asset. He has claimed his first-term plan envisioned keeping a small contingent at Bagram.

Still, any U.S. return would require a troop presence, complicating the 2020 Doha agreement Trump himself negotiated, which committed Washington to a full withdrawal.

Whether the subject has been broached directly with Taliban officials remains unclear. U.S. envoy Adam Boehler recently met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi over detained Americans, but it is unknown if Bagram figured in the talks.

Taliban leaders have so far dismissed the overture. Late Thursday, spokesman Zakir Jalaly posted on social media that relations must continue “without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan.” He called instead for ties based on “mutual respect and shared interests.”

Analysts warn that any reoccupation would likely require thousands of U.S. personnel to secure the base against ISIS and al Qaeda, raising the specter of a new intervention.

Bagram’s legacy looms large in American memory. Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Trump all visited the site, each promising progress as rockets and bombings echoed in the distance. When U.S. forces pulled out, they dismantled massive stockpiles of equipment and carried out the equivalent of hundreds of cargo flights, according to Central Command.

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