Kabul: The United States has expressed its intention to regain control of the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. The base, a historic Soviet-built airstrip, was the main operational hub for American forces in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks until the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, after which the Taliban took control.

Trump highlighted the strategic significance of Bagram, citing its proximity to China as a key factor in the decision to seek its return. “We’re trying to get it back,” he said. “We want that base back.”

Afghan officials, however, dismissed any proposal for a renewed U.S. military presence. Zakir Jalal, an Afghan foreign ministry official, stated that Afghanistan and the United States should engage through economic and political channels without maintaining military installations on Afghan soil.

In parallel, U.S. officials are engaged in talks with Afghan authorities concerning the release of Americans held in Afghanistan. Special envoy Adam Boehler and former U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss these matters. The United States does not recognize the Taliban administration, which seized power in 2021 following two decades of U.S. military involvement.

The announcement marks a new chapter in U.S.-Afghanistan relations, raising questions about the feasibility of re-establishing a military foothold in a country now controlled by the Taliban and the broader geopolitical implications of such a move.