US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his administration is working to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, citing its strategic proximity to China’s nuclear weapons facilities as a major reason behind the move.

Bagram, located about 44 kilometres (27 miles) north of Kabul, served as the largest US military installation during the two-decade war in Afghanistan until American and Nato troops withdrew in 2021 under former President Joe Biden.

Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump called the decision to abandon Bagram a “total disaster,” by former President Joe Biden’s administration, which he accused of botching the US exit from its longest war.

“We’re trying to get (the base) back, by the way,” Trump told reporters, calling the effort as “a little breaking news.”

“We’re trying to get it back because (Afghan government officials) need things from us. We want that base back. But one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons,” he added.

BASE UNDER TALIBAN CONTROL

Following the US withdrawal, the airfield came under the control of Afghanistan’s Taliban-led defence ministry. Trump has repeatedly underlined the base’s strategic importance and has claimed that it is now being used by China, though Afghan officials have denied the allegation.

In March, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected similar claims after Trump claimed that Beijing had taken over the facility. “They should refrain from making emotional statements based on unsubstantiated information,” Mujahid said in a statement.

However, the president did not disclose any details about possible negotiations with the Taliban to reclaim the facility.

Trump has made repeated references to the air base’s proximity to China’s missile facilities. “We were going to get out, but we were going to keep Bagram, not because of Afghanistan but because of China, because it’s exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles,” he said previously. “And you know who’s occupying it right now? China. Biden gave it up.”

US EXIT FROM AFGHANISTAN

The withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 is one of the most debated decisions of the Biden administration. Billions of dollars’ worth of US-supplied military equipment fell into the Taliban’s hands after the collapse of Afghan government forces.

The sudden fall of Kabul forced Washington to rely on Taliban cooperation to complete evacuations.

Republican lawmakers have consistently blamed Biden for what they call a chaotic exit. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the decision, saying it was part of the “largest non-combatant evacuation” in American history.

– Ends

With inputs from agencies

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