President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a warning to Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, demanding that Bagram Air Base be returned to the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” He did not elaborate on what actions his administration might take if the Taliban refused.
The statement came two days after Trump publicly confirmed that his administration is working to regain control of the facility, which has been under Taliban control since 2021.
Speaking alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington on Thursday, Trump criticized the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan under Joe Biden and said his administration had “a little breaking news.”
“We’re trying to get it back,” Trump told reporters. “We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.”
He did not specify which Taliban leaders or officials he was referring to, but added, “We want that base back, but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
On Saturday evening, Trump again stressed the urgency of his demand. “We want Bagram back right away,” he told reporters.
“If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”
Bagram Air Base, located north of Kabul, was originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s.
The United States assumed control of the base in 2001 during the opening stages of the war in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks.
The installation served as the largest U.S. military base in the country for nearly two decades.
On July 1, 2021, the U.S. military vacated the base without public notice, leaving it to Afghan government forces.
Six weeks later, as Taliban forces swept across the country and Kabul fell, the Taliban took control of Bagram.
The loss of the base has remained a point of contention in U.S. policy debates.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the withdrawal, arguing that the pullout enabled the Taliban takeover and left the U.S. without a critical strategic position near both Iran and China.
Earlier this year, White House hostage envoy Adam Boehler met with Taliban officials in Kabul to negotiate the release of American hostage George Glezmann.
Boehler was joined by former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in a meeting with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. According to a Taliban statement, the discussions covered bilateral relations, U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities.
The broader withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan began under Trump in March 2020.
His administration signed an agreement with the Taliban that set a May 1, 2021, deadline for U.S. forces to leave the country.
When President Biden took office, he extended the withdrawal timeline to August 2021, completing the pullout later that summer.
By the time of the U.S. departure, open-source intelligence had shown the Taliban making significant territorial gains, setting the stage for their August 2021 seizure of Kabul and the capture of Bagram Air Base.
Trump’s latest statements mark his most direct demand yet for the return of the base.
While he has not outlined specific consequences if the Taliban refuses, his comments suggest the administration is weighing options to pressure Afghanistan’s rulers.
The White House has not confirmed whether formal negotiations over Bagram are currently underway.
I think that the United States should retain the option of cauterizing any facility, that she is force to abandon. This includes military bases, airports, and embassies. If we can’t used it, nobody will use it.