{"id":82979,"date":"2025-09-22T15:50:30","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T15:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/09\/22\/taliban-rejects-trumps-bid-to-retake-bagram-air-base-in-afghanistan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T17:12:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T17:12:39","slug":"taliban-rejects-trumps-bid-to-retake-bagram-air-base-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2025\/09\/22\/taliban-rejects-trumps-bid-to-retake-bagram-air-base-in-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Taliban rejects Trump\u2019s bid to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

JALALABAD, Afghanistan \u2014 The Taliban government on Sunday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s bid to retake Bagram Air Base<\/a>, four years after America\u2019s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump on Saturday renewed his call to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram, even saying \u201cwe\u2019re talking now to Afghanistan\u201d about the matter. He did not offer further details about the purported conversations. Asked by a reporter if he\u2019d consider deploying U.S. troops to take the base, Trump demurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe won\u2019t talk about that,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don\u2019t do it, you\u2019re going to find out what I\u2019m going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Trump\u2019s assertions and urged the U.S. to adopt a policy of \u201crealism and rationality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afghanistan had an economy-oriented foreign policy and sought constructive relations with all states on the basis of mutual and shared interests, Mujahid posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\t