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By Amir Daftari
News Reporter
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A satellite photo taken this week shows the current state of Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base, which President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration would like to reacquire from the Taliban.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump highlighted the base's strategic importance, noting its proximity to China's nuclear weapons as a key factor in U.S. interest.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon declined comment when reached by Newsweek.
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Why It Matters
Bagram was once a central hub of U.S. and NATO military operations in Afghanistan for nearly two decades. Established after the 9/11 attacks, it served as the logistical and operational base for military campaigns and intelligence collection.
The base fell under Taliban control in August 2021 during the U.S. withdrawal and was later formally handed over to the new Afghan government, with the abandonment marking the symbolic end of America's longest war.
Trump's renewed focus on the base reflects broader concerns about the U.S.'s global rivalry with China, which wants to mine critical minerals in Afghanistan. Any effort to regain Bagram, however, would carry significant diplomatic, military and geopolitical consequences for the U.S.'s Taliban policy and broader U.S.-China competition in Central Asia.
What To Know
Imagery captured on Wednesday by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellites shows the current layout and operations at Bagram under Taliban control. It also highlights infrastructure at the base, which has long been a symbol of U.S. strategic influence in Afghanistan.
Trump called Bagram "one of the biggest air bases in the world," which the U.S. relinquished to the Taliban "for nothing."
"We're trying to get it back, by the way," Trump told reporters at Chequers, the British prime minister's residence. "Because they need things from us," he said, without elaborating.
"We want that base back. But one of the reasons we want the base is...it's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons. So a lot of things are happening," he said.
It was not immediately clear which nuclear facility Trump was referencing, but U.S. researchers have identified at least three intercontinental ballistic missile complexes—together comprising hundreds of missile silos—dotted across the deserts of northern and western China.
China Reacts
On Friday, China responded to Trump's comments by calling for respect for Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that while Beijing respects Afghanistan's sovereignty, actions that escalate tensions or create confrontation in the region would not be welcome.
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What People Are Saying
U.S. President Donald Trump: "We want that base back. One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it's an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons."
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian: "China respects Afghanistan's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The further of Afghanistan should be in the hands of the Afghanistan people."
What Happens Next
Regaining Bagram would require extensive coordination, including regional diplomacy, intelligence assessments, and security planning. The announcement underscores a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Afghanistan's Taliban government, highlighting the strategic importance of the country in global security and great power competition.
Beijing is expected to lobby Kabul hard to prevent U.S. forces from returning to Bagram, while the Taliban likely will use the opportunity to extract benefits from both sides.
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