A vague threat is issued after a Taliban official declines Trump’s request to hand over the extensive airbase previously occupied by US forces.
The threat came a day after the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan declined Trump’s call to return the expansive airbase, which is located approximately 64km (40 miles) from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
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“If Afghanistan fails to hand over Bagram Airbase to those who constructed it, the United States, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Bagram, an expansive complex, served as the main base for US forces in Afghanistan during the two decades following the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington by al-Qaeda.
Thousands of individuals were imprisoned at the site for years without charge or trial by US forces during its so-called “war on terror”, and many of them were abused or tortured.
The Taliban regained control of the facility in 2021 following the US withdrawal and the collapse of the Afghan government.
Trump has frequently bemoaned the loss of access to Bagram, noting its proximity to China. However, his comments on Thursday, during a visit to the United Kingdom, marked the first time he publicly stated that he was working on this issue.
“We are trying to get it back, by the way, which could be a little piece of breaking news. We are trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Trump said at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
However, Afghan officials have expressed opposition to a renewed US presence.
“Afghanistan and the United States need to interact with each other … without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan,” Zakir Jalal, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on X on Friday.
“Kabul is prepared to pursue political and economic ties with Washington based on ‘mutual respect and shared interests’,” he added.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the loss of the base since regaining power, tying it to his criticisms of his predecessor Joe Biden’s handling of the US pullout from Afghanistan.
Trump has also complained about China’s growing influence in Afghanistan.
When asked on Saturday whether he would send troops to retake the base, Trump declined to provide a direct answer, stating, “We won’t discuss that.”
“We are currently in talks with Afghanistan, and we want the base back, we want it back promptly. If they do not agree to this, you will find out what I am going to do,” he told reporters at the White House.
