Trump says US working to take back massive air base abandoned in Afghanistan

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. is trying to regain an Afghanistan airfield abandoned during former President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from the nation.

Trump told reporters during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that his administration was trying to “get back” the airbase, which was formerly the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan during the two-decade occupation. The airbase was taken by the Taliban in 2021 after the U.S. ceded control to local Afghan forces, who surrendered without a fight and allowed the Taliban to free many of the organization’s strongest fighters.

“We’re trying to get it back…we want that base back,” Trump said during the press conference “One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, that it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” (RELATED: Afghanistan Evac Plans Were Drawn Up On The Fly As Chaos Consumed Kabul Airport, New Testimony Reveals)

BREAKING: Trump:

We are trying to get the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan back.

That base is an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons. pic.twitter.com/GuNmbGo8KD

— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 18, 2025

The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report.

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