US President Donald Trump threatened Afghanistan, saying “bad things” will happen if the country doesn’t return the Bagram airbase to the United States.
Trump’s Warning
On Saturday, September 20, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, warning that if Afghanistan doesn’t return the Bagram airbase to the US, “bad things” will happen.
US Interest in Bagram Airbase
On Thursday, September 18, Trump announced that the US wants to regain control over the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, describing it as one of the most powerful bases in the world.
He claimed that the base is located “an hour’s drive from where China produces its nuclear weapons” and that the Taliban took control of it due to “egregious incompetence” by the administration of former President Joe Biden.
Afghanistan’s Response
The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Trump’s statement, citing a February 29, 2020, agreement between the US and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, which led to the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan in 2021.
Zakraly Jalali, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that any US military presence in Afghanistan is excluded.
Expert Analysis
Experts note that Trump’s claims about China’s actions in Afghanistan have not been confirmed, and an attempt to regain control over Bagram could be a large-scale invasion requiring over 10,000 troops and advanced air defense systems.
Analysts consider such an undertaking unlikely.
