U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a stark warning to Afghanistan, saying “bad things are going to happen” if the Taliban-controlled government does not return control of the Bagram Air Base to the United States. The base, once the central hub for American operations during the Afghanistan war, was handed over in 2021 after the U.S. military withdrawal.
Trump made the remark in a post on his Truth Social account, writing: “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” When pressed by reporters at the White House about what those “bad things” might entail, Trump declined to be specific, saying only that he was in talks with Afghanistan and that more would be revealed if demands were unmet.
This threat follows remarks earlier in the week from Trump while in the UK, where he said he is seeking reclaiming Bagram, in part due to its strategic proximity to Chinese nuclear development sites. The U.S. has not confirmed any detailed plan or timeline for retaking the base, nor clarified whether military force is being actively considered.
Taliban officials have so far rejected the idea of a renewed U.S. presence, insisting that Afghanistan should negotiate international ties on its own terms, without hosting foreign military facilities. The Afghan government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Zakir Jalal, posted on X that Afghanistan is open to political and economic ties with the U.S. “based on mutual respect and shared interests,” but “without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan.”
Analysts say the dispute touches on several broader issues: counterterrorism, regional strategy, the U.S.’s posture toward China, and how the Taliban’s control is viewed globally. The U.S.’s loss of Bagram in 2021 has been a contentious point in American political debates, especially among those critical of how the withdrawal was handled.
The situation remains uncertain: whether the threat is a negotiating tactic, a signal of possible escalation, or a precursor to more concrete steps. Observers are watching for whether Trump’s administration will make good on the threat, and how the Taliban and nations involved in Afghan affairs respond in diplomacy, defense, or political messaging.
