Overview

• Trump posted on Sept. 20 that Afghanistan must give Bagram back to the United States or “bad things are going to happen,” and he declined to say whether force is being considered.
• Taliban officials, including Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said no foreign military presence will be allowed and pointed to commitments in the 2020 Doha agreement.
• The Wall Street Journal reported U.S. officials have discussed with Taliban interlocutors possible limited use of Bagram as a counterterrorism launch point, though no arrangement has been announced.
• China publicly dismissed Trump’s rhetoric and emphasized respect for Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Current and former U.S. officials cautioned that retaking or defending Bagram could resemble a re-invasion, with estimates of more than 10,000 troops, and there is no public plan for immediate military action.