KABUL — An Afghan defense official on Sunday flatly rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that Washington regain control of Bagram air base, warning that no deal over Afghan territory is possible, according to AFP.
Bagram, once the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan, was the hub of American operations during the 20-year war against the Taliban. U.S. and NATO forces abandoned the base in July 2021 as part of a Trump-brokered deal with the Taliban, implemented under President Joe Biden. Its loss hastened the collapse of Afghan forces and the Taliban’s swift return to power.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump warned of retaliation if the base was not returned. “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 79-year-old former president wrote.
Fasihuddin Fitrat, chief of staff of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense, dismissed the idea. “Some people have said they have entered negotiations with Afghanistan for taking back Bagram air base,” he told local media. “A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan’s soil is not possible. We don’t need it.” The Afghan government later stressed that independence and territorial integrity remain “of the utmost importance.”
Trump, speaking during a state visit to Britain last week, had for the first time publicly raised the possibility of retaking the base, citing its strategic location near China. Asked if U.S. troops might be sent back, he replied, “We won’t talk about that… but we want it back soon.”
Built in the 1950s with Soviet assistance, Bagram evolved into a sprawling complex with shops, restaurants, and a small-town feel. It was visited by presidents Barack Obama in 2012 and Trump himself in 2019. Rights groups, however, long criticized the site for alleged detainee abuse during the U.S.-led “War on Terror.”
