Trump suggests US troops could return to base in Afghanistan, citing its proximity to rival China
September 18, 2025
President Donald Trump has suggested he’s working to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. That comes four years after America’s chaotic withdrawal from the country left the base in the Taliban’s hands. Trump floated the idea during a press conference Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he wrapped up a state visit to the U.K. The Republican president tied the idea to the need for the U.S. to counter its top rival, China, saying it’s near “where China makes its nuclear weapons.” Trump’s administration hasn’t said if any planning has been done around returning to the sprawling base, which was central to America’s longest war.
