Overview

• The president announced the push at a joint press appearance with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside London on September 18.
• He said Bagram’s location is about an hour from where he claims China is making nuclear weapons, offering that as a key rationale.
• He suggested a quid pro quo by saying the Taliban authorities need something from the United States.
• He provided no plan or evidence of talks in progress, and no response from the Taliban was reported as control of the base remains with Afghan authorities.
• Bagram, once the largest U.S. military hub in Afghanistan, was handed over in 2021 during the withdrawal that preceded the Taliban’s return to power.