US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his administration was moving to retake control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, claiming that such a move was necessary because of the facility’s proximity to nuclear weapons sites in China.
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Bagram, located 44 kilometres (27 miles) north of Kabul, was the largest US military base in Afghanistan and the central hub of the 20-year US-led campaign until American and Nato forces withdrew in 2021 under former US president Joe Biden.
“We’re trying to get [the base] back, by the way,” Trump said, calling the effort “a little breaking news.” He added: “We’re trying to get it back because [Afghan government officials] need things from us. We want that base back. But one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
The base is now controlled by Afghanistan’s Taliban-led defense ministry. Trump has repeatedly stressed the base’s strategic value and alleged it was under Chinese control, a claim Afghan authorities have denied.
Speaking at a press conference alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump blasted the Biden administration over the “total disaster” in Afghanistan, saying the US withdrawal could have been carried out with “strength and dignity”, and in a way that would have allowed America to retain control over the Bagram base.
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Departure of last American soldier from Kabul marks end of 20-year US mission in Afghanistan
Departure of last American soldier from Kabul marks end of 20-year US mission in Afghanistan
He did not provide further details about any ongoing negotiations with the Taliban on reclaiming the facility.