Overview

• Trump made the declaration at a joint appearance with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calling Bagram strategically important.
• He said the base sits about an hour from where he claims China produces nuclear weapons, framing the move as part of broader competition with Beijing.
• The Financial Times reported that envoys Adam Boehler and Zalmay Khalilzad traveled to Kabul this week for talks with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Mutaqi on a prisoner exchange.
• The Taliban foreign ministry said the meetings also explored investment opportunities and the potential for normalizing relations.
• Officials have offered no details of a plan to reclaim the base, and the facility remains under Taliban control following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal.