Trump threatens Afghanistan over Bagram air base

The American president warned of “bad things” if the Taliban did not relinquish control of the vital airfield.

Donald Trump, the US President, issued a threat of unspecified consequences should Afghanistan’s Taliban administration not cede the Bagram Air Base, which the United States left during its pullout.

In July 2021, American forces rapidly departed the base, one month prior to the Taliban’s capture of Kabul, which led to the collapse of the UN-supported government and concluded the two-decade-long US military presence in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Trump indicated his desire to regain control of the airfield, noting its proximity to China’s nuclear sites.

On Saturday, the president stated on his Truth Social platform, “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!”

The Taliban has rejected any possibility of American troops returning, and China, supporting Afghanistan’s sovereignty, criticized Washington for “stirring up tension and confrontation in the region.”

Despite having overseen the negotiation of the US withdrawal during his initial term, Trump attributed the swift Taliban takeover to former President Joe Biden, labeling the disorderly exit of the final American soldiers “a disgrace.”