President Donald Trump has said the United States is seeking to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, more than three years after it was abandoned during the 2021 withdrawal. Speaking at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 18, Trump described the site as “one of the biggest air bases in the world” and said Washington was “trying to get it back.”
Once the largest US military installation in Afghanistan, Bagram was a critical hub for American and NATO operations for two decades before being handed over to the Taliban. Its location, less than 1,300 kilometers (about 800 miles) from China, makes it a highly strategic regional foothold.
Trump suggested talks with the Taliban were under way to allow US forces to reoccupy the base. His remarks, particularly linking the move to China, raised concerns among Western allies already on edge about growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
So, could Bagram once again become the center of American power projection in the region? Click through and learn more about this once strategic airfield and its fate after the Taliban takeover.