Overview

• Trump warned on Truth Social that “very bad things” would happen if Afghanistan did not hand back the Bagram airbase to the United States.
• He said the U.S. wants to “recover” the base immediately, claimed talks were underway, and did not rule out sending troops to retake it.
• Afghan defense ministry chief of staff Fasihuddin Fitrat said any deal to cede even a centimetre of Afghan territory, including Bagram, is impossible.
• Bagram, located near Kabul, served as the principal U.S. airfield during the 2001–2021 war and has been under Taliban control since the 2021 withdrawal.
• Analysts and current or former U.S. officials caution that holding the base would require advanced air defenses and face threats from ISIS and al‑Qaida, with potential regional risks including Iran.