Washington: United States President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, demanding the return of the Bagram Air Base to US control. “We’re talking now to Afghanistan, and we want it back, and we want it back soon,” Trump said, adding, “If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.”
In a separate Truth Social post, he was more direct: “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!”
Know about Bagram Air Base
The Bagram Air Base, situated an hour north of Kabul, came under Taliban control in July 2021 following the complete US military withdrawal—an exit Trump has repeatedly slammed as “a total disaster.” “We gave it to them for nothing…. We want that base back,” he stressed.
If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!! President DJT
(TS: 20 Sep 17:29 ET)…
— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) September 20, 2025
Bagram was once the epicentre of America’s two-decade war in Afghanistan. At its peak in 2012, it hosted more than 100,000 US troops, along with hospitals, fuel depots, shelters, a massive prison, and even fast-food outlets like Burger King and Pizza Hut. Its vast runways allowed “anything to land there,” Trump said, highlighting the base’s immense strategic importance.
Beyond its military and logistical power, Trump underscored Bagram’s proximity to China, noting it is “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” He argued that U.S. control of the air base could provide a crucial advantage in surveillance and regional influence.
China, however, has pushed back against such suggestions. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Afghanistan’s future “should be decided by its own people,” adding that Beijing “respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”