Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning to the Afghan government, saying “bad things will happen” if the country does not hand back control of the Bagram Air Base to the United States. His remarks come amid rising tensions over strategic facilities in post-American Afghanistan.
Bagram Air Base, once the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan, was critically important during the two decades of U.S. involvement in the country. The base was handed over to Afghan control following the full withdrawal of U.S. troops. Trump now insists that the U.S. should regain access or operational control over Bagram, arguing its return is non-negotiable.
In public comments, Trump asserted that his administration will take unspecified but serious action should Afghanistan fail to comply. He emphasized that national security interests require maintaining strategic footholds and suggested that letting Bagram remain out of U.S. control poses risks that cannot be ignored.
Afghan officials have not formally responded to Trump’s statements. However, the issue places fresh strain on relations between Washington and Kabul, especially in light of recent challenges around counterterrorism efforts, regional security dynamics, and the presence of other foreign powers in Afghanistan.
Analysts believe Trump’s demand reflects broader concerns in U.S. policy circles about maintaining influence in a volatile region. With Bagram offering significant strategic advantages—such as runways, hangars, and proximity to important terrain—it is viewed as a linchpin for projecting military reach, should need arise.
Critics of Trump’s position caution that the request could provoke diplomatic tensions. Afghanistan’s sovereignty remains a sensitive topic domestically, and many observers see any attempt to reassert control over former U.S. bases as encroaching on Afghanistan’s autonomy. They also point out that the U.S. currently supports Afghan security forces in different ways, through aid, training, and intelligence sharing, without needing full base access.
The controversy over Bagram has re-ignited debate over how countries manage military basing rights after foreign troop withdrawals. For the U.S., issues of access, over-the-horizon capability, and infrastructure retention are all part of a larger strategy for maintaining readiness in regions seen as geostrategic flashpoints.
Whether Trump’s warning will translate into any formal U.S. policy actions, such as negotiations, pressure tactics, or agreements tied to aid or foreign policy, remains uncertain. For now, it is another reminder of how former strategic holdings continue to reverberate in current international policy discussions.
