It’s been four years since the last American troops left Afghanistan in a hasty, chaotic withdrawal, closing the book on two decades of U.S. military presence. But the ghosts of Bagram Air Base—the sprawling, fortress-like compound that once anchored American might in the region—are back in the headlines, as former President Donald Trump pushes for its return to U.S. control. His demands have sparked a fierce and very public rebuke from Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, setting off a new round of international tension and finger-pointing.
On September 21, 2025, President Trump took to his favored social media platform with a characteristically blunt warning: “BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” unless Afghanistan “gives back” Bagram Air Base. He doubled down in comments to reporters, insisting that the United States wanted the facility “right away” and pointing to its strategic value near western China. According to CNN, Trump has been pressing his national security advisers since March to explore ways of regaining control of Bagram, which he described as a crucial asset for U.S. interests in the region.
The reaction from Kabul was immediate and uncompromising. Taliban Chief of Staff Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat declared at an event in the Afghan capital—broadcast live on state TV and echoed by Bloomberg—that “Afghanistan is fully independent, governed by its own people, and not dependent on any foreign power.” He left no room for negotiation, stating, “A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan’s soil is not possible. We don’t need it.” Fitrat further warned, “We do not fear any bully or aggressor,” and that any hostility would trigger the “strongest” response.
Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoub Mujahid also weighed in, invoking the 2020 Doha Agreement. “America pledged … not to force or threats against Afghanistan’s sovereignty,” he said, recalling that when Washington sought to keep bases in 2021, “We told them that if you stay, we’re ready to fight for another 20 years. So, they left.” His message was clear: Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity were not up for debate, and the Taliban were prepared to defend them at any cost.
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi underscored just how non-negotiable this position is. In a recent interview, he insisted that even full U.S. recognition and a promise of reconstruction aid would not persuade Afghanistan to cede Bagram—or any territory, for that matter. “If such concessions were possible, why would we have endured decades of war, lost our leaders, and sacrificed so many martyrs?” he asked, according to Tehran Times. “The struggle was precisely to ensure that no foreign power could ever claim Afghan soil.”
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, posting on X (formerly Twitter), urged the United States to adopt a policy of “realism and rationality.” He reiterated that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity were paramount and pointedly referenced the Doha Agreement, which pledged the U.S. would not use or threaten force against Afghanistan’s sovereignty. “It had been consistently communicated to the U.S. in all bilateral negotiations that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity were of the utmost importance,” Mujahid said, as reported by the Associated Press. He called on Washington to remain faithful to its commitments and avoid interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
For many Afghans, the memory of Bagram is a complicated one. The base, located some 64 kilometers (40 miles) from Kabul, was originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s before being transformed into the largest U.S. military hub in Afghanistan after the 2001 invasion. During its years under American control, Bagram became infamous for its massive prison complex, where thousands were detained—sometimes for years—without charge or trial. Reports of torture and abuse at the site cast a long shadow over America’s “war on terror.”
But Bagram was also a city unto itself, boasting runways longer than many international airports, hardened aircraft shelters, hospitals, fuel depots, and even fast-food outposts like Burger King and Pizza Hut. Shops sold everything from electronics to Afghan rugs, catering to the thousands of U.S. and NATO troops stationed there. The base’s strategic position—at the crossroads of Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang province, and Central Asia—made it a linchpin for surveillance and intelligence gathering across Eurasia, as noted by the Economic Times.
After the U.S. withdrawal in July 2021, the Taliban took control of Bagram and have since used it as a symbol of their victory. In August 2024, they celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover with a grand military display, parading abandoned U.S. hardware for the world to see—a spectacle that reportedly caught the eye of the White House, according to the Associated Press. The Taliban’s message was unmistakable: Afghanistan is no longer under foreign occupation, and its sovereignty is not up for negotiation.
Trump, however, has continued to stoke controversy over Bagram’s fate. On a recent visit to the United Kingdom, he told reporters at a joint news conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, “We’re trying to get it back, by the way, that could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us.” He has also used the issue to criticize his predecessor, Joe Biden, blaming him for the “gross incompetence” of the 2021 withdrawal, which left billions of dollars’ worth of American weaponry and other military assets in Taliban hands.
Yet, despite Trump’s rhetoric and pressure tactics, there is no indication that the Taliban will budge. “Recently, some people have said that they have entered negotiations with Afghanistan for taking back Bagram Air base,” Fitrat said, according to Bloomberg. “A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan’s soil is not possible. We don’t need it.” The Taliban have made it clear that any attempt to force the issue would be met with fierce resistance.
It’s worth noting that the U.S. and NATO withdrawal from Bagram in July 2021 was part of the Doha Agreement—a deal negotiated during Trump’s own administration and implemented under Biden. The agreement stipulated that the U.S. would not threaten Afghanistan’s sovereignty or interfere in its internal affairs, a point the Taliban have repeatedly cited in their public statements.
As the two sides dig in, the situation remains tense. The United States sees Bagram as a strategic asset, a potential launchpad for projecting power and gathering intelligence across a volatile region. The Taliban, meanwhile, view it as a hard-won symbol of independence and a reminder of the sacrifices made to reclaim their country. For now, neither side appears willing to compromise, and the standoff over Bagram Air Base has become a flashpoint in the broader struggle over Afghanistan’s future and America’s role in the region.
With both Washington and Kabul showing no signs of backing down, the fate of Bagram remains uncertain—caught between the ambitions of a former superpower and the unyielding resolve of a government determined to defend its sovereignty at all costs.