President Donald Trump said Thursday he is seeking to reclaim control of Afghanistan's Bagram Airfield, calling it a "little breaking news" and linking the move to U.S. leverage over China.
"We gave it to them for nothing," Trump said, repeating a campaign message on the Biden-era unconditional withdrawal from Afghanistan, during a joint news conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"We're trying to get it back, by the way. OK, that could be a little breaking news. We're trying to get it back because they 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.
"So a lot of things are happening."
While Trump did not mention specifics, the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan might seek U.S. concessions in exchange for returning control of Bagram. Potential demands could include increased foreign aid, economic investment, access to military or intelligence support, or diplomatic recognition.
Newsmax reached out to the White House for a request for further comment and has not yet heard back.
Trump, leading into the "breaking news," lamented Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine because of former President Joe Biden's weakness in pulling out of Afghanistan.
"I spoke to President Putin about Ukraine," Trump said. "It was the apple of his eye. I've said that many times. It was, but he would have never done what he did, except that he didn't respect the leadership of the United States.
"They just went through the Afghanistan total disaster for no reason whatsoever. We were going to leave Afghanistan, but we're going to leave it with strength and dignity, and we're going to keep Bagram, the big airbase that one of the biggest airbases in the world."
The historic Soviet-built airstrip was the main base for American forces in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks up until their 2021 withdrawal led to an immediate takeover by the Islamist Taliban movement.
Taliban leadership has rejected past Trump claims that China is moving in on taking Bagram as an important military air superiority hub in the region.
"They should refrain from making emotional statements based on unsubstantiated information," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in March when asked for a response to Trump's claims that China currently controls the air base, according to Voice of America.
"Bagram is controlled by the Islamic Emirate [Taliban regime], not China. Chinese troops are not present here, nor do we have any such pact with any country."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.