Why Trump Is Pushing to Reclaim Bagram Air Base — and Why It’s Already Being Rejected!
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Why Trump Is Pushing to Reclaim Bagram Air Base — and Why It’s Already Being Rejected
Reported By David Joshua | Sele Media Africa
Kabul, Afghanistan — September 29, 2025
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited controversy by calling for the United States to retake Bagram Air Base — one of the region’s most strategic military hubs. But Afghan authorities say the base is off-limits.
What Is Bagram Air Base & Why It Matters
• Bagram, located roughly 30–50 kilometers north of Kabul, was the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan during the two-decade war. It featured long runways, hangars, support infrastructure, and a detention facility known as the Parwan Detention Facility. [1]
• Analysts point out its value as a power projection platform, vital for surveillance and rapid deployment across Central and South Asia. [2]
• Post‑2021 U.S. withdrawal, the Taliban gained control of the base and its associated facilities. [3]
Trump’s Arguments & Strategy
• Trump has publicly stated that the U.S. is “trying to get the base back,” citing its proximity to China’s nuclear facilities as a pressing national security concern. [4]
• - Meanwhile, China, Russia, and regional powers may push back. Control over Bagram implicates Central Asian dynamics in a broader contest of influence. [8]
Takeaway:
Trump’s push to reclaim Bagram is ambitious and symbolic — but already stumbling at the first hurdle: the Taliban’s blanket refusal and Afghanistan’s sovereignty claims. What may follow is less about ground forces, and more about negotiation, regional balancing, and geopolitical chess.
• In a Truth Social post, he warned that “BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN” if Afghanistan doesn’t comply. [5]
• Advocates claim controlling Bagram would help counter threats like IS‑K (Islamic State Khorasan Province) and improve U.S. intelligence depth in the region. [6]
Obstacles & Open Rejection
• Taliban Response: The Taliban has firmly rejected any attempt to return Bagram to U.S. control. Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid cited Afghanistan’s sovereignty and the 2020 Doha Agreement, which bars foreign military interference. [3]
• Logistics & Legitimacy: Experts argue that physically retaking Bagram would amount to re‑invasion, requiring tens of thousands of troops and provoking a regional backlash. [5]
• Symbolic Risks: For the Taliban, relinquishing Bagram would undermine their legitimacy. Many from their ranks view any foreign military footprint as a betrayal of their foundational resistance to occupation. [2]
What’s Next?
• The U.S. may push via diplomatic channels, economic leverage, and security guarantees, but direct military reoccupation seems increasingly implausible. [7]
• Afghanistan’s government and Taliban authorities will resist, saying they won’t cede any inch of territory. [3]
Citations:
1. Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagram_Airfield?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. Al Jazeera: www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/29/afghanistans-bagram-airbase-why-is-trump-desperate-to-take-it-back?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. AP News: apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-bagram-trump-airbase-122225b702aa6b788c3a9836add60db1?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4. CBS News: www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-bagram-afghanistan-china/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5. Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/trump-says-bad-things-will-happen-if-afghanistan-does-not-return-bagram-air-base-2025-09-20/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
6. Foreign Policy: foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/24/trump-bagram-airbase-taliban-afghanistan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
7. National Security Journal: nationalsecurityjournal.org/a-return-to-bagram-air-base/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
8. Modern Diplomacy: moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/09/28/why-trumps-bagram-rhetoric-matters-beyond-afghanistan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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