Trump Seeks Control Of Afghanistan’s Bagram Airbase: What It Means For US-Pak Ties | Exclusive

Last Updated:September 21, 2025, 13:17 IST

“The Trump administration’s outreach to Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir shows that Washington is prioritising Rawalpindi over Kabul,” intelligence sources said

US President Donald Trump wrote that “bad things” would follow if Bagram Airbase was not handed over to the United States. (AFP File)

The United States administration’s attempt to control Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan is meant to give the US a forward operating station against China, Iran, Russia, and to some extent Pakistan, according to an intelligence assessment note accessed by CNN-News18.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that Afghanistan return control of the Bagram Airbase to Washington “soon”, warning that the Taliban would “find out” what action he intends to take if the demand is not met.

Trump, on social media, reminded the militant group now ruling Afghanistan that he had overseen the US troop withdrawal deal in 2021 during his first term. Trump wrote that “bad things” would follow if Bagram Airbase was not handed over to the United States.

“If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!! President DJT,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“The Trump administration’s outreach to Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir shows Washington again prioritising Rawalpindi over Kabul,” sources said, adding, “Biden’s pullout created a vacuum which was exploited by the Taliban, China, and Pakistan. Trump’s push indicates US acceptance that Pakistan remains the gatekeeper to Afghanistan.”

Bagram’s geography makes it ideal for surveillance of Tibet, Xinjiang, China’s western nuclear and missile facilities, sources said. “The US is framing Bagram’s return as deterrence building. The US is giving signal that the US is making an attempt to re-establish hard power credibility in the region,” they said.

If the US re-enters Bagram via Pakistan, Islamabad will extract aid, military hardware, and political leverage, regaining relevance lost post-2021. “Taliban’s resistance means Washington cannot achieve this goal without Pakistani facilitation or without dividing Taliban. The presence of US forces at Bagram will reintroduce an external superpower, but tilt the power dynamics toward US-Pakistan,” they said.

“Renewed US dependence on Pakistan Army will legitimise Pakistan internationally,” they said.

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Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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