The Taliban government has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed call to reclaim Bagram Air Base, the sprawling military facility abandoned during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan four years ago.
Trump, speaking on Saturday, suggested that Washington was “talking to Afghanistan” about reestablishing a U.S. presence at Bagram. He declined to provide details but hinted that force could be an option if negotiations failed. “We want it back, and we want it back right away,” he told reporters.
On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed Trump’s remarks, urging the U.S. to pursue “realism and rationality.” He stressed that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable, citing the 2020 Doha Agreement, in which Washington pledged not to threaten or interfere in Afghan affairs.
“Afghanistan seeks constructive relations with all states, but ceding even an inch of our soil is out of the question,” added Fasihuddin Fitrat, chief of staff at the Defense Ministry, in a televised speech.
The Taliban, who marked the third anniversary of their return to power with a military parade at Bagram last year, have used the base as a symbol of their victory after the U.S. withdrawal. Trump has repeatedly criticized former President Joe Biden for what he calls the “incompetent” handling of the 2021 exit, which left billions of dollars in U.S. military hardware behind.
Despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties, limited U.S.-Taliban contacts continue through hostage and prisoner-swap talks. Earlier this year, the Taliban released an American abducted in Afghanistan, and more recently, both sides discussed detainee exchanges.
Still, Kabul’s leadership made clear this weekend that any U.S. bid to retake Bagram will face outright rejection.
