Overview

• In a Truth Social post, President Trump warned that "BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN" if Afghanistan does not hand Bagram Air Base back to the United States.
• He told reporters the administration is "talking now" to Afghanistan about the base and declined to say whether he would send troops, offering no specifics on consequences.
• Taliban officials reiterated that no foreign military presence will be allowed, saying engagement with the U.S. could be political or economic only.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials and Taliban representatives discussed allowing limited U.S. use of Bagram as a counterterrorism launch point.
• Trump has framed the push around Bagram’s proximity to Chinese nuclear sites, as analysts and current or former U.S. officials warn a forcible reoccupation could require more than 10,000 troops and advanced air defenses.