Overview

• Speaking on Sept. 18 at a joint news conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said the United States is trying to “get back” Bagram and claimed his administration is in talks with the Taliban.
• He cited the base’s proximity to Chinese nuclear-related sites and said the Taliban “need things” from the United States as reasons to pursue a return.
• Taliban representatives publicly rejected the notion of renewed U.S. military presence while saying political and economic relations based on mutual respect could be discussed.
• The White House and State Department offered no comment, and the Pentagon issued a generic statement about contingency planning without detailing any operational steps.
• Bagram, roughly 40 kilometers from Kabul, was the largest U.S. base before its 2021 handover; there is no known Chinese military presence there, and limited U.S.-Taliban contacts continue, including a Kabul meeting last week by hostage envoy Adam Boehler.